Lois Johnson

“A giggle, a splash of wit, and a merry smile” are words that were written in a high school yearbook to describe an incredible young gal who would one day become the extraordinary woman that everyone knew and loved, Lois Johnson. These words proved to flawlessly describe Lois. She was a woman of great strength who was always the life of the party, and always had a story about any topic that arose. She loved life, and she loved to laugh too - a rare gem with a fun-loving personality that sparkled each and every day.

The 1930s were primarily a dark time in our nation’s history as we were plagued by the Great Depression for that entire decade. Families struggled to make ends meet, and unemployment rose to twenty-five percent. It was also during this time, however, that William and Lela (Bingaman) Richman were able to shift their focus to a joyous time within their own family. They were pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Lois, on August 11, 1935. Lois joined older brother Cal and was followed by younger sister Irma who rounded out the Richman family. She was raised on the family farm in Mendon, located in southern Michigan. Lois fostered close relationships with her siblings, and during a time when only one-third of American children were enrolled in school, Lois attended local schools in Mendon. Summers found Lois picking the pickles on the farm, establishing a strong work ethic in Lois that would shadow her throughout her entire lifetime.

From an early age, Lois was active and social, involved in numerous activities. During high school, she played the coronet in the band, was the class secretary, was in the girls’ club and the glee club, in the junior play, on the yearbook committee, wrote for the school newspaper, and was the student play director. Lois went on to graduate in a class of 29 in 1953.

Soon after graduation, Lois married a man named Robert Johnson, on March 3, 1955. Although the marriage ended in divorce, the couple was blessed with four children: Jacki, Vicki, Robert, and Nanci. Even though Lois was able to juggle many responsibilities throughout her lifetime, being a mother was her greatest role and her children were her greatest source of joy, even referring to them as “The Wonderfuls.”

During a time when single mothers were far less prevalent than they are today, Lois became a master at the art. As a woman of great strength, she flawlessly balanced being a working woman and a mother too. Lois worked full-time at Upjohn International where she was a data processor, but she was always there for her children as well. She never missed one of their countless ball games, even commenting that she spent close to ten hours a week sitting in the school bleachers. To her children, Lois was the most wonderful Santa each Christmas as there were loads of gifts that were always wrapped in white paper billowing from underneath the tree. Lois took her children camping, and on one occasion, she took all four of them by herself on a road trip from Michigan to Texas, and then to California and back.

Lois was able to tap into her strength when at the age of 46, she suffered a brain bleed. In this situation, most people would have died, but not Lois – she was able to bounce right back like nothing ever happened, continuing to embrace each day she was given.

When she was only 55, Lois was able to enjoy a full retirement from Upjohn after 26 years of service. This allowed Lois more time to enjoy the things she truly loved. When she was blessed with grandchildren, she was quick to proclaim that the whole reason she became a mother was so that she could become a grandmother! She adored her grandchildren in every way, even calling them “The Marvelous.” In her retirement, Lois was able to spend the winters in Indian Rocks Beach, called a “little piece of heaven” located on the Gulf side of Florida. She had her grandchildren take turns visiting during spring break, hosting them to a time of indulgence with trips to amusement parks and the beach. Lois also marked each grandchild’s birthday with a special lunch at a restaurant followed by an afternoon of shopping.

There were a variety of things that Lois enjoyed and that kept her busy, just the way she liked it. She enjoyed biking the Vicksburg Trailway and even donated a bench for the trail. Lois loved the casino and classified her favorites based on whether she won there or not. She also liked to golf, and she was an accomplished pianist who played the piano for years at the West Mendon United Methodist Church. Lois was known for her yahtzee games and crossword puzzles, often purchasing four or five newspapers just to get her fill. Lois was a great scholar of the English language, a virtual dictionary when it came to filling in her crossword puzzles.

Lois was a woman whom everyone seemed to know, truly one-of-a-kind. She was often the life of the party and loved telling jokes. Lois was a great storyteller and seemed to have story for everything. If someone told her something she would go on to say, “I have a story about that,” and then proceed to tell it.

Vivaciousness refers to high-spiritedness, being lively, and this is a word that depicts who Lois Johnson was. She was an extraordinary woman with a fun-loving spirit and a heart of compassion for all those within her reach. Lois loved her family more than life itself and always made sure they knew it too. One could always look to Lois for a great story or perhaps an extreme joke, and she was always able to deliver, often keeping people in stitches. She was a woman as vibrant as the sunrise, and she leaves behind a colorful mosaic of memories that will be forever treasured by all who knew and loved her.

Lois E. Johnson of Vicksburg died on July 11, 2009 at her home. Members of her family include her children and their spouses, Jacki (Keith) McGahan, Vicki (Emil) Jensen, Robert (Michele) Johnson, Nanci Linebaugh and Marshall Linebaugh; her grandchildren, Kristopher, Nikki, Ryan (Lauren), Chelsea, Erica, Kyle, Grant, Austin, Taylor and Audrey; her sister Irma (Tom) Speidel and her brother Calvin (Patricia) Richman; along with many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Visit with her family and friends, and share light refreshments during a memorial open house on Wednesday from 4:00-7:00 at Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg; 409 S. Main St (649-1697). Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read her life story, archive a memory or photo, sign her memory book online before coming to the funeral home or make a memorial donation the Vicksburg Trailway c/o the Village of Vicksburg.