GLADYS HELEN JOHNSON

GLADYS HELEN JOHNSON Gladys Helen (Guidi) Johnson passed peacefully into heaven at the age of 99 on August 18, 2024 with her daughter Janis at her side. She is survived by her son Don (Crane), daughter Janis, grandchildren Syeira, Brian (Natalie), and great grandchildren Ellis and Fisher. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Don, her father and mother, and her sisters Mabel and Celeste. Gladys was born in Portland, Oregon on March 12, 1925 to Abraham Guidi, an Italian immigrant from the Alps, and Edith (Deardorff) Guidi, descendant of the first settler family in Deardorff Valley (Happy Valley), Oregon. She grew up on an idyllic farm in Happy Valley where snow-capped Mt. Hood rose majestically in the background, inspiring her life-long enjoyment of God's handiwork, which she loved to paint and sketch and explore. She attended a one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade where her teacher encouraged her to keep drawing. After finishing her schooling at Milwaukee High School she worked at Meir & Frank Department Store in Portland before her marriage to Don Johnson in 1948 whom she met at a Young Adult College Christian group. They moved to Boise, Idaho soon after their marriage and started a family. Son Don was born in 1951 and Janis was born in 1954. She loved decorating, flower arranging, cooking, gardening, canning, potluck dinners, church events with their friends, and above all being a wife and mother. She made sure her children were provided piano lessons (which they loved), resulting in both becoming accomplished musicians. The family spent many a summer day and evening boating and water skiing with Don's "Texas Maid" at Lucky Peak Reservoir. They loved exploring Idaho, and vacationing on the Oregon Coast. McCall soon became a favorite spot for all things outdoors - camping, fishing, skiing, hiking. Gladys was an adventurous gal and McCall provided the perfect backdrop. She loved to pick huckleberries, and she had many no-tell-um spots for hunting morel mushrooms. She loved to watercolor paint (oils and pastels, too) and many people have been happy recipients of her prodigious output of beautiful paintings and cards. After Don's retirement in 1984 they built their dream cabin in McCall near the lake on Sharlie Lane. Her trusty Honda 90 took her on many mountain trails with her husband Don. Every winter, Don and Gladys loved to ride their snowmobiles in the back country around McCall. After Don's sudden death in 1991 she rebuilt her life in McCall with the help of her wonderful friends at Our Savior Lutheran Church, her lovely art friends, her adventuresome camping friends, and her beloved children, especially son Don who lived closest to her. In her 70's, she manned a fire lookout at Brundage Mountain and continued to downhill ski into her 80's. She loved landscaping around the cabin and her friends remember many fun parties and get togethers at her house both winter and summer. Painting became an even bigger part of her life. Besides capturing the allure of Idaho's landscapes, she loved painting the beauty of Morro Bay and the Central Coast of California on her many visits to see her daughter Janis. In her last years she loved spending time with family and friends, sitting outside in the sun enjoying nature, going for drives, playing Scrabble, and eating strawberry ice cream. Gladys's walk with God and her strong faith guided her life. She believed the greatest commandment was Jesus's admonition to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Anyone that knew Gladys could see that she lived her faith each day. She was a joy and blessing to all her many friends who loved her and will miss her deeply. She looked forward to heaven and if you asked her what it was like she would tell you it was "the ultimate!" Her memorial will be in McCall at Our Savior Lutheran Church at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, November 14.