Virginia Lee Johnson

1930 - 2017

Virginia Lee Johnson

1930-2017

Virginia Lee Johnson passed away November 5 in Rancho Mirage, California, after a long illness. She was born November 12, 1930 in Redding, California, to James Albert and Violet Rennie Baker. She grew up in Redding, graduating from Shasta Union High School, then from College of the Pacific. She was always interested in music and played trombone in both the high school and college marching bands.

Virginia married Newton Johnson and embarked on a teaching career which spanned more than thirty years, teaching in South Dakota, Redding, Chico and in the Coachella Valley, where she moved with her family in the early sixties. She taught in the Coachella Valley Unified School District as an elementary teacher and then as a Reading Specialist. After retirement from teaching she worked for more than ten years at Oasis Date Gardens, managing their mail order department. Virginia continued her love of music through her participation in the St. Andrew Community Presbyterian Church Choir and their Bell Choir. She served as a Deacon and an Elder in the church. She loved to travel and enjoyed many summers in Florence, Oregon.

She was a warm, caring person with many friends.

Virginia is predeceased by her parents, her son John and her ex-husband Newt. She is survived by her sisters Patricia Laflin of Bermuda Dunes and Barbara Carbone of New Jersey, many nieces and nephews, and by her daughter, Mary Ann Ward of Coachella Valley, and her son, Albert Johnson of San Diego. Other family members include grandchildren Cody, Lee Ann, Elizabeth and Carolina and seven great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, November 27 at 3 PM at St. Andrew Community Presbyterian Church in Indio. The church is located at 47-192 Monroe Street, across from JFK Hospital. Should anyone wish to make a memorial gift it can be directed to the church or to the charity of your choice.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit:

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