Patricia Joan Johnson

On March 26th, 2012 at 5:45 p.m., Patricia Johnson translated through the curtain of time and entered into eternal rest with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! What a mighty God we serve! Patricia entered this world on February 20th, 1938. The only daughter to loving parents Ruth Evelyn (Nicodemus) and David Bruce Doggett. She was delivered at home in Hillary, Illinois, as were her two brothers John Martin and Robert Bruce Doggett. All attended Diamond Grade School, they thrived and grew, then tragedy struck when her oldest brother, John Martin was struck by a truck while sledding and passed this life at ten years of age. As time went on the little family moved to Danville. Patricia married and went on to live in the same Danville home for 57 years before declining health necessitated a move to a simpler life at the Wolford Apartments. She met and married Walter I. Johnson of Danville and proceeded to have nine children- Timothy (Mary) Elliott, Ruth M. Taylor, Robin Johnson, Rebecca (Terry) Anderson, Thomas Ivan Johnson, David Bruce (Tina) Johnson, Samuel Walter Johnson of Cayuga, Indiana, Kari Dunmars of Pinellas Park, Florida and Joshua Patrick Johnson of Danville. From these nine offspring have come 17 grandchildren and a host of great and great-great grandchildren to numerous to name. Patricia loved the Lord and the study of His Word. Her life exemplified her belief and she found her greatest joy in serving others. Her move to the Wolford in 2005 and the seven years she resided proved to be her most joyous. She quickly made many new friends and became quite a socialite. She was well known for her quick wit and tender thoughtfulness towards all who came in contact with her. Due to her sewing abilities she became the neighborhood seamstress repairing rips, zippers and patching clothes for her friends down the hall or upstairs and around the corner. Another great source of pride was her cooking. Her fried chicken was amazing and her homemade noodles were the stuff of legends. This noodle business she learned and perfected while working with her mother Ruth and Grandmother, Jesse Mae Doggett at the family owned and operated Palace Cigar Store and Lunch Counter. All family members have the noodle recipe and have tried to replicate them but alas, tis futile. Her agility with a rolling pin will not be bested. In her younger years she gardened and canned vegetables, made jams and jellies. She pickled and processed everything with no waste. Even her watermelon rind pickles were outstanding blue ribbon winners. Handy with tools she would tackle any repair with ingenuity and gusto doing all she could to fix things that broke down before Dad got home from work. She would say "lets" get this taken care of before your Father gets home, he works to hard to have to leave GM and have work waiting on him here. He did indeed work hard and already weary at 52, he passed on of a heart attack in the family home in 1981 leaving our Mother a young widow at 42 on the eve of her birthday. Now you know a little something about Patty Jo who lived 57 years in the same house, raised kids, loved Jesus, served her fellow man and tried each day to do a little better than she did the day before. If memories are the stuff that framework our lives then I say let us enjoy the good ones, try to put the bad ones in perspective, move forward and keep trying to do better every day. After all Our Father is on the way and we want Him to be proud of all His Children when He comes. A Memorial Service will be held at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center, a Life Celebration Home on Wednesday, April 4th, 2012 at 3:30 p.m., with Elder Pastor Fredrick Stanford and Minister Jason Calloway officiating. Visitation will be from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Please join Patty Jo's family in posting memories, photos or videos on her tribute wall at: www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.