Marie T. Johnson

Johnson, Marie T. (Fleming)
78, passed away on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 from complications resulting from a car accident that occurred in December. Marie was born in Chicago on Dec 8, 1932. She was the last surviving child of the Michael (Lucille) Fleming family, sister Virginia (McKinlay), sister Lucille (Martenz) and brother Mike Fleming. She is survived by her sister-in-law, June Fleming, sister-in-law, Theresa (Kenneth) Antonitis and brother-in-law, Jim Johnson. She enjoyed a long married life of 52 years to Matthew Johnson who preceded her in death in 2005. They moved to Arizona in 1980. She had a daughter, Cindy Gleason and son-in-law, Patrick Gleason of Chandler. As her daughter, I am grateful to have spent my lifetime in a close relationship with her. I will miss her everyday. Marie loved her grandsons, Steven, Jeff, and David. They were the joys of her life and she was a wonderful grandmother to them. Marie loved all her nieces and nephews and felt blessed to have so many of them active in her life. She enjoyed close relationships with her cousins. Marie appreciated her life-long friendship with her sister-in-law, June Fleming. Marie worked as a meat wrapper for Jewel Foods in Chicago and for Safeway in Arizona. In retirement she enjoyed spending time with her family and volunteering in the community. She was a volunteer at the Chandler Regional Hospital for 13 years. She also loved performing with her friends in the Tempe Kazoo Band. The band travels around town providing musical entertainment to people living in nursing homes. They were a great source of friendship and fun for her over many years. Marie was an amazing person that battled multiple myeloma and breast cancer with grace, strength, and a positive attitude - which was an inspiration to all of us. A memorial Mass will be held on March 8th at 10:00 am in the Resurrection Catholic Church, 3201 S. Evergreen Dr, Mesa (Southern & Evergreen). It will be followed by a luncheon in Phillip Hall. In lieu of flowers, please donate in her name to: The Looney Tooners Kitchen Kazoo Band, Pyle Senior Center, 655 E. Southern Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85282.