Jeanne Wood Johnson

Jeanne “Auntie” Wood Johnson

The world lost David Bowie’s biggest fan today. In truth, we lost a woman of boundless curiosity, lived experience, and vim.

Have you ever met a real-life Mary Tyler Moore, but far edgier? If not, you missed out. Jeanne Wood Johnson was unforgettable. Many knew her just as Auntie, others as Bean, and a select few as “Gene Gene the Dancing Machine.” Whatever you called her, she made an impression that stuck.

Born Jeanne Lee Wood, in 1946, she was the second-to-youngest of Ralph and Marie Wood. Jeanne grew up with enough spirit to fill a whole neighborhood. She was part of one of the first graduating classes of the newly opened Magnificat High School, where she played basketball and exuded effortless cool.

Jeanne was one of the original “Mad Men” era gals, working in advertising back when the two-martini lunch was practically an Olympic sport. She could hold her own in any room, and usually had the best one-liners, too.

Her love of music ran deep. Jeanne didn’t just listen to records, she lived them. She introduced friends and her nieces/nephews alike to Blondie, Iggy and the Stooges, The Velvet Underground, and any band that broke the rules. Her Lakewood home was always full of rhythm, conversation, and the latest sound.

Jeanne never settled. She was fiercely herself, an advocate for the ERA and a mentor who showed her nieces and nephews that being self-sufficient wasn’t just important, it was non-negotiable.

And then came her great love story. Picture it: Shooters on the Flats, peak Cleveland cool. Jeanne and her friends are at the bar. She notices the bartender, let’s just say she appreciated the view. He heard her comment, flirted back, and the rest is rock-and-roll romance history. Enter her husband and partner-in-fun, the one and only “Magic Mike” (Michael Johnson).

They were the perfect duo, Jeanne the creative spark, Mike the steady hand. They married at The White Oaks and made a warm, artful home in Cleveland. Mike tended the yard while Jeanne spun her records, sometimes Bowie, sometimes Blondie, and, fittingly, the last album found on her turntable was Pink Floyd.

Because that’s who she was, punk rock at heart, classic in taste, and impossible to forget.

We will be arranging a private celebration to honor Jeanne. Please reach out to any family member for details.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Slone & Co. Funeral Directors.