Marcia Ruth Johnson

Marcia was born July 13, 1917 to Frank & Della Warren in Middlebury, Vermont. She was the third of four children which included an older brother Erwin, an older sister Agatha and a younger brother Richard known to her as Dickie. Her growing up years were all done in Middlebury where she often spoke of her love of going into the woods to eat sandwiches by a brook and listen to the birds. All through her life she loved birds. As a young girl she suffered from Diphtheria and nearly died. She spoke of the quarantine that was put upon their house. The house that she said had a summer and a winter kitchen. In 1936 she graduated from high school and was granted a partial scholarship to college there – but for reasons unknown to her – her father decided to move the entire family out west. So giving up her scholarship the whole family left moving to the Los Angeles area – the summer of ’36. She loved looking for movie stars and trying to get their autographs. After living there about a year – in 1937 – they headed north ending in Grants Pass. They lived on NE Savage and she was employed at the old Josephine General Hospital on NW A Street. So she walked that route every day to and from work. Her work there was in the kitchen and she had fond memories of her duties and the people she worked with. During this time she met on the post office steps the man she would later marry – W. Vernon Johnson. After many months of dating – which included lots of picnics and evenings of Vernon playing a game of checkers with her father, he asked for her hand in marriage. Loving nature as they both did, they decided to marry in the Redwoods – and so on April 8, 1939 at Stout Memorial Grove with family around them, they were joined as one. She became a homemaker and started their own family when the first of three children was born to them in August of 1941 – a daughter Linda Janine and once again a daughter Janice Lee in March of 1943 and finally a son Warren Vernon born premature in July of 1947. Being the original ‘June Cleaver’ she was always very involved with her children and their friends – doing her housework in a dress, cute shoes and an apron covering her dress. She was a wonderful cook – did the best homemade ice cream and her house was spotless. Kids were always at the house either just for the day or maybe a stay over.

In October 1994 lives changed as daughter Janice died of cancer. There was always a sadness left in her to lose a child. And then on August 10, 2002 after 63 years of marriage she lost her special one – her husband Vern. Life definitely was not the same for her after that. Something was missing. But by this time she had added things in her life – such as 6 grandchildren included Shandel, Kristin and Brenton – children of Linda’s, Jim and Mike – children of Janice, and Eric – son of Vern to love and to love her – it helped greatly. Then also the two very specials of life and love were here for her – two great-grandchildren – Dyllon age 9 – son of Kristin and Kira age 3 daughter of Shandel. How she loved them!

The ashes of both Vernon & Marcia will be scattered at some later time at the place of their marriage with the family that loved and that loved them attending.

A super special person she was – always generous and thoughtful – loving, kind, and thinking of others. And so on August 1st 2008 – 19 days after her 91st birthday – we lost this loving and good woman. But we are all better off for having her a part of us here for so long and she will live in our hearts forever.

Lou & Linda Gauthier (son-in-law and daughter)
Vern & Cindy Johnson (son and daughter-in-law)

Grandchildren
Shandel Gauthier (husband Erik and daughter Kira)
Kristin Gauthier (son Dyllon)
Brenton Gauthier (wife Julie)
Eric Johnson
Jim Evans
Mike Evans

Preceded in death by
Brother – Erwin Warren
Sister – Agatha Neely
Daughter – Janice Johnson
Husband – W. Vernon Johnson