Mary M. Johnson

Mary was born in Escanaba on Oct. 15, 1934, the youngest child of Leslie and Elvira (Campbell) Miller. She was a lifelong resident of Escanaba and graduate from Escanaba High School. After high school she attended Western Michigan University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education. Later in life she pursued an advanced teaching degree from Northern Michigan University while working and raising a family.

She began her extraordinary and lengthy career at Bark River, with the support of her mother who was also a teacher. It was at Jefferson Elementary School in Escanaba, however, that Mrs. Johnson became a much beloved first-grade teacher and respected colleague. She eventually finished her career at Lemmer School and retired.

Mary Miller married Stanley Johnson at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on April 30,1955. They spent 32 beautiful and complex years together, and raised four cherished daughters. Stanley preceded her in death in 2006.

The couple lived in Germany while Stan was in the Army, and their first child was born overseas. Throughout her life, Mary vastly enjoyed and encouraged travel, and learning about other people and places. Many summers were spent as a family traveling and camping to many places across the United States. Mary also traveled extensively to the Middle East, where her daughter Barbara and family reside. She also visited Spain in 1992 and returned to Germany in 1997 to help with the birth of a grandson.

Mary was a devout Catholic. She was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and St. Anne’s Parish. Mary adored angel figurines and angel decoration. She amassed a large collection that surrounded her in her home and room. She enjoyed music of all kinds. She and Stan attended concerts and special events often. Having taught hundreds or more children to read, her love of reading was pronounced. She always encouraged and supported a love of learning for everyone around her, especially her daughters, Kathy, Barbara, Julie and Lynn.

She followed Michigan State basketball, having two daughters and sons-in-law graduate from MSU. If you knew Mary, you knew she was a diehard Green Bay Packers fan. She never missed a game. She even enjoyed the games this season with Lynn, who shares a passion for the game. Mary was proud of her college-educated daughters and physician granddaughter, as well as the educational, professional and personal accomplishments of all her children and grandchildren.

Among survivors are her children, Katherine (Andre) Depew of Charlotte, N.C., Barbara Johnson (Dr. Ibrahim El-Shishtawy Hassan) of Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, and Lynn Johnson of Escanaba; grandchildren, Dr. Signe Hassan and family of Kent, United Kingdom, Suzanne Hassan and family of Cairo, Egypt, Iman Hassan and family of Magdeburg, Germany, Sharif Hassan and wife of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Garrison Gendron of Escanaba and Christopher Hill; her sister, Rita Miller of Escanaba; and special nephew and caretaker, Pat Miller of Gladstone. The family also wishes to celebrate and thank the many tender and patient staff members at Cedar Hill Assisted Living, who saw Mary every day and came to love her special personality, as well as Hospice staff, friends and fellow residents.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Stanley; daughter, Julie Johnson Hill, who died of breast cancer in 2000; and brothers, Robert, Joseph and William.

Visitation will be on Monday, Sept. 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Crawford Funeral Home, 302 S. 13th St., Escanaba. Remembrances will be shared beginning at 3:40 p.m. A service will follow at the funeral home at 4 p.m. with Rev. Rick Courier officiating. Burial of cremains will take place in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Messages of condolence may be directed to the family by visiting crawfordfuneralhomes.net.