Johnson

Joann E. (Thompson) Johnson, 71, passed away Sept. 24 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, Calif.

Born in Butler, Oct. 8, 1937, she was a daughter of the late Robert and Florence (Wolford) Thompson of West Sunbury.

Joann graduated from Butler High School in 1955. She attended two years at Indiana (Pa.) University and gave two summers of volunteer service at the Ganado Presbyterian Hospital in Arizona.

There she met her future husband, Wilmer O. Johnson of Kykotsmovi, Ariz. In 1960, they married in Oakland, Calif. He had joined the U.S. Navy, and as a Navy wife, she raised four loving sons, lived in many places and experienced many new things.

Joann went on to earn her bachelor's degree in political science at LaVerne College in Ventura, Calif.

In 1975, she relocated with her family to San Diego and began work on local political campaigns and issues she felt were important. She also worked for the San Diego City Library and the San Diego Police Department and received several recognition awards for her work in civil service. After retirement, she was still active in community concerns and never stopped caring about others.

She will always be remembered, and she will be dearly missed.

Joann is survived by four sons, Michael (Kitty) of St. Peters, Mo., and Jon, Daniel and Joseph, all of San Diego; and one grandson, Michael (Wolf) Johnson of Carson City, Nev. Joann is also survived by two sisters, Pearl Wamboldt of Slippery Rock and Kathryn Luppe of Butler, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was especially fond of her nephew, Dave Crispin of Sun City, Calif.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, John and the Rev. Edward "Tom" Thompson; and two sisters, Jean (Everett) Crispin and Roberta (Dewey) Gardner.

<B>JOHNSON</B> — A memorial service for Joann E. Johnson who died Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, will be in San Diego, Calif., pending final arrangements.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Joann's memory to the charity of your choice.