Johanne M. Hart

1936 - 2017

Johanne M. Hart of Sahuarita, Arizona passed away on April 4, 2017 after a long illness at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson. She was 80.
Born in Valley City, North Dakota to Thomas and Lillie (Erickson) Brown, she married Paul Charnetzki Jr in 1953. They began their life together as dairy farmers, but Johanne's asthma made that life too difficult. Paul joined the Army and she became a warrior's wife. Together they had five sons: Paul, Todd, Joel (deceased), Mark, and Jon. Paul served overseas in Korea and Vietnam and was killed in action in the Tet Offensive, February 7, 1968, receiving the Silver Star among other decorations.
Johanne married Donald Hart, an Air Force Master Sergeant, in Clarksville, Tennessee on September 19, 1969. Together, they had a daughter, Melinda. After serving in Vietnam, Minot, North Dakota, and Beale Air Force Base, California, Don retired from the Air Force in 1975. The family moved to Salem, Oregon. Don became an owner-operator for Bekins Van Lines. With the support of her husband and to the amazement of her children she returned to school. She earned a Bachelor's degree (1988) and a Master's degree (1990) in Clinical Child and Youth Work from Western Oregon State College.
She began practicing as a Family Therapist in Salem, Oregon. She had a magic touch with the children, often deeply troubled, who ran to her open arms. With her older clients, she helped them to see their situation with clarity and make positive changes in their lives. She always believed that positive change was possible and shared the joy when it was achieved and the grief when it was not.
Johanne retired from family therapy in 2004 and Don retired shortly thereafter. They made Sahuarita, Arizona their new home base. Johanne was active in their church, St. Francis in the Valley. Johanne and Don travelled extensively in the United States, working in visits to friends and family. She enjoyed playing bridge and fishing for walleye in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Johanne is survived by her husband of 47 years Don Hart, her sister Thomasine, her brother Chris, her sons Paul, Todd, Mark, and Jon, her daughter Melinda, 7 granddaughters, 2 grandsons, 3 great-granddaughters and 1 great-great-grand daughter.
A memorial service will be held on June 17 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church 1444 Liberty Street, Salem, Oregon at 1:00 in the afternoon. The service will be presided by the Reverend Anne Emry, Rector at St. Paul's and assisted by the Reverend Katie Pate of Milwaukie Presbyterian Church. A gathering of friends of family will be held immediately after at the Salem Convention Center.
In lieu of donations, the family has asked that gifts be directed to charities supporting Vietnam Veterans, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, or St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church.