Loretta Mae Johnson

Loretta Mae Johnson lived her life devoted to her family. She was creative and artistic, loving virtually every type of art project available, participating however she could. She made friends wherever she went with her kind nature, humor, magnetic personality, humility, and compassion.

Loretta was born July 28, 1943, in the San Francisco Bay Area in California to Harold and Martha Faria. She grew up in Alvarado and lived in the East Bay most of her life. In 1964, she married Wayne Robert Johnson, her husband of 39 years until he died at the age of 60. They met as students at Washington High School in Fremont, California, where they each graduated in 1961. Loretta had said she wanted to marry a responsible man she could have a family with, but said she was fortunate enough to get a supportive friend as well. They had 4 children together and raised their family in Fremont and then in Scotts Valley, California, where she lived her remaining 34 years.

Loretta spent childhood summers working on the family farm, most of the time with her peers where they could socialize while cutting apricots. After spending her childhood living on a farm and experiencing asthma and allergies, she wanted city life! She loved traveling and got to go to a few big cities like NYC and Chicago. She and Wayne traveled to the Azores Islands with her father, where he reunited with some relatives whom Loretta got to meet for the first time. She said strangers kept speaking Portuguese to her; she fit right in. Every summer, Loretta and Wayne would drive their family to Disneyland, stopping at all the favorites along the way. They owned an RV for some time and, in addition to small trips, they got to go across the USA with their 2 youngest children.

Loretta's main goal in life was to have a family. She took classes at San Jose City College studying home economics. Her main job was being a homemaker, exactly what she had wanted, and Wayne was happy being the main breadwinner. Loretta was an excellent bookkeeper as well and had many part time jobs in that field, starting that career path on her High School Council as Treasurer. Her final job was running a real estate investment company.

Loretta will be remembered as a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother (Mamie), and friend. She is preceded in death by Wayne and her beloved dog Trixie and survived by children: Shelley Chalmers of Scotts Valley, Susanne (Craig) Swenson of San Ramon, Jeremy (fka Scott Johnson) Hatch (Jessica LeBeau) of Portland, and Shaun Johnson (Jensen Rule Tierra) of Los Angeles; grandchildren: Randy Chalmers, Sander Swenson, Zachary Swenson, and Shaun's sweet dog Loretta loved, Fanny.

A celebration to honor her was held in January and she was laid to rest with her husband at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California. Contributions in her memory may be made to Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter (SCCAS).