Sally C. Johnson

Sally Charlotte Chisholm was born in Imperial, California, on a hot July day. Her mother, Bonnie Chisholm, always said it was a wonderful birth, even though there was no air conditioning in the hospital in 1933. She was welcomed home by her father, Homer W. Chisholm, and her nine-year-old sister, Bonnie Coverley. Her beloved Mama and Daddy with her sister gave her memories that were a comfort to her up to the last year of her life at 92 years old.

Sally grew up in Brawley, California, and graduated from Brawley High School. She married Marvin Lesicka in October 1951 and together they raised their family in Westmorland. Sally was a great mom, involved community member, a friend to all, a person who welcomed the stranger into her home and life. She was an active parent in the Westmorland Elementary School PTA, the 4-H club and in American Field Service (AFS). She became a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and was delighted to have taught almost every kid in Westmorland how to swim. She attended the Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday school and made sure that all children, including her own, knew that we "are saved by grace through faith…a gift of God."

When she was 40 years old, she enrolled in the Registered Nursing program at Imperial Valley College. She spent the next thirty years being a nurse in all kinds of settings, including Pioneers Hospital, Mission Bay Hospital in San Diego, and two years in a Whitaker Corporation hospital in Saudi Arabia. While there she traveled in the Middle East and northern Africa. Her final job was with the Imperial County Health Department, working mostly with children through California Children's Services. In retirement, Sally joined Volunteers in Mission through the Presbyterian Church USA and was the nurse for camps throughout the United States.

Sally was married to Marvin Lesicka for 28 years. He died in 1979. They had four children. She married again in 1984 to Roy Johnson, who also had four children. Their blended family always considered her Grandma Sally and Papa Roy, their grandpa. They were married for 33 years; Roy died in 2017.

She is survived by Rex Lesicka, Nathan (Jean) Lesicka, Alexandra and Grant; Bonnie (David) Milam, Andrew (Carissa) Milam, Charlotte, Finley, Benjamin, Lucy and Jack; Scott (Hillary) Milam, Emily and David; Karen (Tyler) Feret, George, Rebecca, Elena; Tom Lesicka, Denise Lesicka (Greg Goldberg), Levi and Hudson; Mike (Dawn) Lesicka, Peter and Katie.

Anne Johnson Mallory, Rob (Jen) Overstreet, Reagan and Greyson, Evan (Monica) Mallory; David Johnson; Nancy Johnson, Mariann Nilson, Austin Holt; Ellie Hamaya (Paul), Lexie, Oliver, Cameron and Jackson; Allison Nilson Dollinger, Amelia; Hanna (Josh) Wagner, JR and Charlotte; Anthony (Janice) Nilson, Madison, Emma, Annie; Frank Johnson.

Her son-in-law, Vance Mallory (Anne) died in 2022. Her daughter-in-law, Nancy Lesicka (Rex) died in 2024.

Sally died at Meadow Glen Assisted Living in Leesburg, Virginia, where she has lived the last two years and been lovingly cared for by staff. Funeral arrangements are by Hall Funeral Home in Purcellville, Virginia.

A memorial service is planned at Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church, Westmorland, California, on November 8 at 1:00 p.m. Rev. Janice Cook will officiate. Burial of her ashes will be in Julian Cemetery, Julian, California.