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Mary Johnson

August 18, 2021
Portage, MI

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Mary Ada Johnson, age 76, of Portage, MI, passed away August 18, 2021, at her residence. Mary spent decades living at her lake home in Delton, MI, recently moving to Portage to be closer to family. Some of her fondest memories were of her children and grandchildren gathering there to enjoy the lake and to fish from her dock. She was born in Kalamazoo, MI on August 3, 1945 and was the only child to Joseph Richard and Lela Rose (Grover) Johnson. Mary was an alumna of the Borgess School of Nursing in May of 1966 and later earned her Bachelor of Science (RN) from Western Michigan University in June of 1985. She served her community as an RN for over 30 years. Mary retired from Bronson Hospital in 1997, then went on to serve as a RN at Borgess and providing RN instruction at KVCC, before fully retiring in 2000. She was a very talented artist, especially as a seamstress! Mary sewed her daughter's wedding and bridesmaids' dresses. She had created countless elaborate Halloween costumes for her grandchildren over the years. She drew with pastels and enjoyed various craft projects, such as painting murals on the walls of her home. Mary had a love and gift for gardening and was especially drawn to roses. Her garden was the pride of her block at any one of the homes she resided at during her lifetime. Throughout her life, Mary was devoted to animals, particularly those without homes and she was active as a rescue volunteer and animal caregiver. In the years after retirement, she was an active member of the Richland chapter of the Red Hat Society and the Richland AA group. She very much enjoyed the friendships that she had through these venues. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Lela Johnson and her daughter, Christine Marie "Chrissy" Hemingway. Mary is survived by three children: Elizabeth Rose Wright (David) of Portage, MI; Joseph Wilder (Jennifer) of Portage, MI and Sarah Wilder-Lovell of Mattawan, MI. She is also survived by six beloved grandchildren: Jacob Hemingway, Zach Hemingway, Alex Wilder, Mara Wilder, Madison Lovell, and Max Lovell. A private service will be held for Mary at her final resting place in Peninsula Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Mary's wish was for donations to be made to Alcoholics Anonymous at https://contribution.aa.org/sca-dev-2020-1/checkout.ssp?is=checkout&lang=en_USSlogin-register or mailed to: General Service Office, PO Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163.