Jeanette Gerry Johnson

Jeanette Gerry Johnson

Jeanette (Gerry) Johnson was born October 28, 1925 in San Francisco, CA to Berna Bradbury Gerry and Edward Gerry…  She was the youngest of 4 children. Her mother and grandmother Elizabeth Gerry moved the family to Rathdrum, Idaho in 1927.  In 1928 her mother married Frank Roth and they moved to the log cabin at Twin Lakes where she grew up and attended school.  Upon graduation, she went attended St. Luke’s Nurses Training in Spokane, WA.   As a registered nurse, she started at Deaconess Hospital.  She eloped with Os W. Johnson February 1, 1950 at Coeur d’Alene, ID and honeymooned in Portland, OR.  They settled in Spokane where Os built their first home across from Manito Pond.  May 1951, daughter Linda was born.  After Nurses’ training, she was called Miss Gerry and then later just Gerry. Os called her “Ger.,” She continued to work until 1956 when daughter Gay came along.  In the next 5 years she stayed home to raise the girls and 3 sons that were born, Kristopher, Wes, and Jef before returning to work.  Dad was self-employed as a draftsman. Mom kept working either at Doctor’s offices or at a hospital.  In 1965 Dad got a job with FHA in Seattle and the family moved to North Seattle in 1966. Mom worked at Ballard Hospital the night shift soon after.  The family moved in 1968 to Bremerton near Illahee State Park.  Mom went to work 11-7 night shift at the hospital. Later she worked part time nights at a local nursing home and continued until she retired in 1979. She loved the house, the view, the garden.  Os passed away in 1980 and mom stayed in Bremerton until 1987.  She moved to Edmonds with Gay where they bought a house and she lived until she passed away on December 27, 2013.  She was a great nurse and is an even greater mom. She was a loving, caring, kind, nurturing and compassionate Mom and we love her for that.  She was a hardworking yet gentle woman and gave up a lot so her children could do things like music lessons, ice skating, Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls and vacations at a lake for a week.

She worked for several years at the Edmonds Food Bank.  She enjoyed attending Community concerts, travelogues, stage plays, music performances and traveling. She loved vacations with her children and her 12 grandchildren. She enjoyed listening to music, reading, gardening, going for walks, and trips to the beach.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Os, her brothers Charles Gerry, Conrad Roth and Gus Roth, her oldest sister, Madaline Queener and sister Susie Roth.  She is survived by a sister, Betty Howell, a brother, David Roth (Frances) and sisters in law, Bonnie Roth, Lucy Roth, Judy Roth and Bernice Gerry.  She is also survived by her 5 children Linda Slupe (Bill), Gay Johnson, Kristopher Johnson, Wes Johnson (Grace), and Jef Johnson (Melanie), her 12 grandchildren; Jasmine, Ryan, Caleb, Toria, Naomi, Nicole and Titus and Seth, Sarah, Anna, Ariella, and Lydia. There are several nieces, nephews and cousins also.  Mom had a strong faith.  She has often told us the she had talked to Jesus and he said: “Do not worry; I will take care of you”.   In lieu of flowers, her family suggests memorials may be made in her name to Edmond’s Food Bank, the American Diabetes Association or to National MS Society.  Memorial Service will be at Edmonds United Methodist Church in Edmonds, Washington on January 10, 2014 at 1pm.