Barbara Johnson

Barbara Johnson was a blessing to those around her not only through her beautiful singing voice, but her kind and compassionate heart as well. Whether she was playing bridge, swinging a golf club, or relaxing on the deck of a cruise ship, Barbara did them all with vibrancy, treasuring each day that she was given as a gift to be embraced. Barbara was a woman of faith who viewed her family as her greatest asset, realizing that it was relationships with others which truly made one great. The Roaring Twenties, as they are sometimes called, were a time of diversity and change within the culture of our nation as speakeasies and the smooth sounds of jazz exploded onto the scene. Clayton and Thelma Morehouse, of Lansing, Michigan were preparing for their own period of change as well; as Thelma was due to give birth to their first child at any time. They were indeed blessed on December 2, 1926 with the healthy birth of their daughter, Barbara. As the oldest of four girls in her family, Barb, as she liked to be called, moved around quite a bit during her childhood and as a result, she attended various schools. Barbara was predominantly raised by her mother while her father worked hard to support his family in the savings and loan industry. Barb graduated from Cement City High School which was located near Jackson, Michigan and since education was important to Barb, she went on to attend Baker College for two years. Happy days were soon around the corner for Barb as she took a fateful position as an executive secretary for Consumers Power in their corporate offices located in Jackson. She ended up working for a man named Les Johnson who was the manager in charge of recruiting, but more importantly, he would forever change the course of Barbs life. After working together for a short time, a romance soon ensued between Barb and Les and as a result, she began working for someone else at Consumers. Barb and Les were united in marriage on May 16, 1958 in their hometown of Jackson. The couple was soon blessed with the birth of their son Mark, in 1959. Barb treasured her son and poured herself into nurturing him and caring for his needs. She played an active role in his life and was always present for his various activities. Their family continued to live in Jackson for a period of time but they later moved to Owosso, Michigan, located northeast of Lansing. In the mid 1970s, Les was again transferred by his employer, this time to Muskegon, located near the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan where Barb worked as an interior designer for Vanderveldes Furniture. As a family, they joined First Congregational Church where they were faithful members for many years. More recently, Barb and Les attended First Presbyterian Church where they grew to feel very comfortable and regularly attended services. In addition to time spent caring for her family and working, Barb pursued some additional interests as well. She was blessed with a rich singing voice and she took voice lessons in order to keep her voice in shape for the singing she did in her church choir as well as for her performances at weddings, funerals, and other public concerts. Together, Barb and Les enjoyed playing bridge and duplicate bridge and they always belonged to bridge clubs wherever they lived. They also enjoyed playing golf and played on leagues together and they enjoyed the many courses around the Muskegon area as well. Barb and Les were passionate about music and theatre; they were regulars at the symphony and local theater productions as well as traveling Broadway shows. When grandchildren arrived on the scene, Barb was thrilled to pieces and spent as much time with them as she could. In order to escape the cold Michigan winters, Barb and Les became snowbirds when they left the snow behind and traded it on for the warm sunny weather of Panama Beach, Florida. Here, they rented the same place for 22 years; established many treasured friendships, and even took in some Broadway shows as well. Through the years, their grandchildren made several trips to visit them in Florida where many treasured memories were made. Barb and Les also loved to go on Caribbean cruises, usually with her sister Marilyn and her husband; they went on a total of 32 cruises over the years! Later in life, Barb had some health concerns with her heart, but she always managed to bounce back. Over the years, however, her health continued to decline and Les tenderly cared for her needs until her health issues finally overcame her and recovery was not to be for Barb. Barb Johnson spent her days living her life to its fullest and continuously loving those that were placed in her path. She was a hard working woman who held fast to her faith throughout the various peaks and valleys of her life. Barb enjoyed many things including sunny skies, Broadway shows, and a lively game of bridge, but what Barb treasured the most, however, was the gift of her family. She spent her days making memories which will be forever etched on the hearts of those she leaves behind. Barb will be deeply missed. Barbara (Morehouse) Johnson died on Friday, January 23, 2008. Barbs family includes her husband Les; son Mark (Jane) Johnson of Holland; three grandchildren, Alex, Daniel and Laura; three sisters, Marilyn (Joe) Ryan of FL, Carol Hess of FL, Marcia (Bob) Swayze of Flint; several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 30, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 2577 Wickham Drive, Muskegon, MI 49441 with the Rev. Fred Halde officiating. Visit with Barbs family and friends on Friday for one hour prior to the service at the church. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory, sign the online guest book, or make a memorial contribution to First Presbyterian Church. Arrangements provided by Clock Life Story Funeral Homes - Muskegon, MI.