Obituary of Grace Johnson

Grace A. Johnson May 9, 1921 - November 2, 2008 Grace A. Johnson died of age-related natural causes at the age of 87 on November 2, 2008. Grace Amber Johnson (née Shanazar) was born in Akron, Ohio on May 9, 1921 of Armenian parents Alice Galustian Shanazar and Kegham Shanazar. She met Roy E. Johnson during World War II when she was a USO hostess and Roy was a Private First Class in the Army. They married at Camp Campbell, Kentucky on July 8, 1944. Roy and Grace filled their lives with music, and Roy was a high school choral director for 33 years, first in LaSalle, Illinois at LaSalle-Peru High School and when they moved to Joliet in 1960 at Joliet Township High School and then Joliet West High School. After Roy's retirement, Roy and Grace hosted many tours all over the world with Witte Travel. Grace and Roy were extremely proud of their two children, Bruce and Diane. Dr. Bruce Johnson became a dentist and a dental program director in the Indian Health Service, working extensively in Alaska with the Eskimos, and in Tacoma, Washington with the Puyallup Indians. Dr. Diane (Johnson) Retallack followed her father's path as a choral conductor and is Artistic Director of the Eugene Concert Choir in Eugene, Oregon. Grace attended college at Akron University and Akron Art Institute. She was a skilled secretary and worked as an Executive Secretary at Glenwood Medical Group in Joliet, Illinois. Grace and Roy were married for 56 years until Roy's death on September 15, 2000. Grace moved to Eugene, Oregon in 2003 to be closer to her children. Her greatest joys were attending Diane's performances of the Eugene Concert Choir, playing the piano for her own enjoyment, and getting together with family. Grace Johnson is survived by her sister Alice (Shanazar) Smith and husband Norris E. Smith of Akron, Ohio, her son Dr. Bruce Johnson and his wife Susan (Kayfish) Johnson and their three children Matthew, Kathryn and Alexander, and her daughter Dr. Diane (Johnson) Retallack and husband Dr. Gregory Retallack and their two children Nicholas and Jeremy. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, November 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Grace will be buried on Friday, November 14, joining her husband, Roy E. Johnson, a decorated veteran, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. Memorial visitation Thursday from 5:00 p.m. until time of service at: FRED C. DAMES FUNERAL HOME 3200 Black at Essington Rds., Joliet For information: (815) 741-5500