Barbara Johnson

Barbara Thompson Johnson, age 94, passed away April 25, 2015. She was born in Muskegon, Michigan on August 5, 1920 to Lyman and Daisy (Van Hook) Thompson. She attended Hackley School, Muskegon High School and Stephens College, graduating in 1940. She married Robert F. Johnson on September 20, 1940, and they were very happily married for 56 years. Barbara and Bob were co-owners of Francis Jiroch Co. (for many years Muskegon's oldest continuously operating business), later known as Jiroch Candy and Tobacco Company, with their business partners of three decades, Sidney and Eunice Bush. Barbara was active for many years with the Visiting Nurses Association and the Muskegon Chapter of the American Cancer Society, serving as its president at one point. Barbara was a life member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Barbara and her older sister, Helen, had an idyllic childhood, spending their summers in the 1920s and 1930s at their familys cottage on the south side of Duck Lake (Fruitland Township) across the lake from the Wabaningo and Shawandasee Boy Scout camps (now Duck Lake State Park). They spent much time in and on the lake, swimming, fishing and boating. As preteens they would drive into Muskegon (originally on two track roads) to run an errand for their parents if the need arose. When Barbara retired from driving last summer, she had been driving for over 80 years and never an accident or ticket! Barbara was well known for her remarkable memory for the past in Muskegon, Fruitland Township and West Michigan. She kept family and friends well informed about the old days as well as family lore. Whenever a member of her family had a question about area history, we simply said We had better ask Barbara about that! We did and she usually was able to provide the answer. Always accompanied by Bob, the love of her life, she enjoyed the out-of-doors and all of Mother Natures wonders. She was a superb fisherwoman, hunter, beach walker, and mushroom picker. Bob and Barbara, avid golfers, were members of the White Lake Golf Club for more than forty years. Together, they enjoyed a long and active retirement traveling and spending winters in Florida pursuing their many interests. Bob died in 1996, and Barbara continued her snowbird winter lifestyle in southwest Florida and summer lifestyle in Muskegon County. Amazingly, until recently, Barbara had only been admitted to a hospital twice in her life, to deliver her son and her daughter. When her health began to fail in March of this year, her great nephew, David Kelley of Sarasota, FL, in a labor of love, granted her wish and drove her back to Muskegon, arriving on April 12, for the final time. She was admitted to the Harbor Hospice Poppen House where she was surrounded by her family at the end of her life. SURVIVORS Son, Robert T. (Ciari) Johnson of Calumet, MI; grandchildren, Chrystya Uldrikis of Ventura, CA, Kirsten Schaeffer of Muskegon, MI, Robert A. (Julie) Johnson of Whitehall, MI, Kevin (Irma) Boyd of Colorado Springs, CO, Kenneth (Andrea) Boyd of Alto, MI; nieces and nephews, Judy (Peter) Johnson List of Corvallis, OR, Sherry (John) Johnson Kelley of Muskegon, MI, Steven Johnson of Sarasota, FL and Patrick Johnson of Osprey, FL. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; daughter, Linda Johnson Boyd Troy; and sister, Helen Thompson Johnson.