Woodlawn Funeral Home Obituaries

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Virginia May Johnson , Age: 94

October 07, 1928 - June 10, 2023

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Virginia was born outside of Winifred Montana in the fall of 1928. The sixth of eleven children to Lidmilla and

Lambert Benes. She was born on a farm, with no indoor plumbing and no telephone. She was the last of her

siblings to die. Virginia was married 41 years to Bruce Johnson who preceded her in death October 20, 1992.

She never remarried. She said she dreamed of Bruce every night. He proposed to her at the circus with a

diamond ring in a box of crackerjacks. She said No twice before she said yes, and they married on December

15, 1951.

She always said she was poor as a child and did not know it. Her Mother cooked on a wood-fired stove and her

Father plowed with a Clydesdale horse. She had so many stories of growing up rural and worked as a Cook at a

Sheep Ranch to make enough to save to go to Nursing School, along with a Scholarship.

Virginia was a Nurse for many years. When she graduated, she wore a starched cap and cape. During her life

she experienced three pandemics. Her first job was in a Polio Clinic in Spokane, WA. She and Bruce lived in

Montana, Washington, Utah, Alabama and finally settled in Olympia, Washington in 1972. Along the way they

had 4 daughters who survive her. Michele Cooper (Chris Cooper, Spouse), Julia Howell (Lonnie Howell,

Spouse), Amy O'Rourke (Dan O'Rourke, Spouse) and Laurie Johnson (Erin Kovalenko, Spouse). Virginia has six

grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Virginia was an avid Gardner her whole life. Her family enjoyed so many wonderful fruits and vegetables from

her garden. She also grew flowers and always said "Don't send flowers to my funeral, give them to me while I

am alive". Good advice and well taken. Her home and especially her later years were full of beautiful bouquets

and blooms, often sent from those who lived far away. Virginia enjoyed them all, fully.

Virginia was an accomplished Seamstress. She started sewing in 4-H as a child and continued throughout her

life. Her first sewing machine was a treadle, and her last sewing machine was in the room in which she died. It

was number 3 or 4 as she wore out more than machine in her 94 years. She sewed all kinds of clothes and for

a time sewed costumes for a Victorian singing group, including making accessories. She machine-sewed crazy-

quilts for so many in her family, celebrating landmarks like births, weddings, new phases in life. We joked that

she would leave a pin in her creations "for good luck" as it was often difficult to find them all. She hemmed

and tailored so many things for so many of her family and friends over the years. Her youngest child

remembers falling asleep to the sound of the sewing machine, as it was often the only time to sew during a

busy day.

After retirement, Virginia volunteered at the Olympia Senior Center for 10 years teaching an Arts and Crafts

class. She made friends, and her Sewing room closet was bursting with all the supplies and plans for the next

lesson. Virginia enjoyed travelling, especially with her Daughter Amy and Son-in-Law Dan. They went to Palm

Springs yearly for years. She spent her 80th and her 90 th birthdays in Hawaii. She swam in the ocean with her

family surrounding her and it was magical. Virginia was always up for a game of cards and would usually win.

Virginia was funny, kind, and gentle. She was a good friend, neighbor, mother, Grandmother and Great-

Grandmother, Aunt and so much more. Put flowers on the table in her memory and be good to yourselves and

each other.

Please consider donating to your local food bank in Virginia’s name or St. Benedicts outreach and feeding programs.

Please join us for the Memorial Service on Monday, June 26, 2023, at 11am. at St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church,

910 Bowker St. SE, Lacey WA 98503

Additional Service: Memorial Service

Location: St. Benedict`s Episcopal Church

Address: 910 Bowker St. SE

City: Lacey

State: WA

Zip Code: 98503

Date of Service: June 26, 2023

Time of Service: 11:00am

Additional Information: No Additional Information Added

Google Map: Click Here to see Location on Map.

The last family owned funeral home in Thurston County.

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