Arleen Taft Johnson

Since Grandma passed away peacefully this morning, I wanted to post a few things I love and remember about her and also include some pictures I had of her. If I had to narrow it down to just two things I remember about her it would be that she was such a hard worker and the other would be how much spiritual she was.

She was probably the hardest worker I know (which I’m know is where my Dad gets it from). Even when she would be relaxing in the evening watching TV, she would be working on some sort of sewing project. I don’t think she was ever idle…she was always doing something. She just might even be the original source of the saying, “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” I remember when we would go on walks when her & Grandpa would come visit when we lived in Washington state. She didn’t just let us go on a walk, she would make sure to teach us something and point out flowers and tell us what kind they were.

The other thing I remember most about her is how spiritual she was and along with that, how much she loved everyone. Even if she didn’t like someone, she wouldn’t say anything bad about them. She always looked for the good in anyone. She was such an spiritual giant to me and would cry from feeling the influence of the Spirit by something as simple as telling me about the time Dad had baby cats born in his bed. She was very emotional and close to the Spirit. Grandma Johnson had such a strong testimony of the Gospel and not just believed it, but lived what she believed.

• “Oh, garbage.”
• How she would describe where things were down in the canning room…“It’s about knee high on the east side.”
• She would assign a grandkid as a “gopher” at dinner. “Now brother, “go for” the salt in the kitchen. “Go for” the napkins, etc.
• “Icky dog.”
• Talented Making Quilts & sewing
  • She would make a quilt for every grandchild that got married
  • She would sew pajama pants for Christmas gifts
  • Make Christmas stockings for the grandkids
  • Embroider pillowcases & tablecloths for the granddaughters when they would graduate from high school
• Calling everyone “brother” or “sister”
• Amazing home cooked meals
  • Banana cream pie
  • Sweet ketchup
  • Homemade pizza
  • Scrapple
  • Cream puffs
  • Soup
  • She taught me how to make real whipped cream to go on all the awesome desserts she would make
• Crying at anything
• Pencil behind her ear
• Loved nature
• Raising 7 incredible children, and making sure all 6 of her sons got their Eagle Scouts
• Always had a diet Coke b/c she was diabetic
• Always had to have a nice tablecloth on the table
• All the kids & grandkids would clean her house for her birthday present every year
• The farm & EXCELLENT gardener
  • Showing us which plants in the garden were ripe and ready to be picked
  • Always had gorgeous flowers growing
  • Looking to see if the chickens had laid any eggs
• Shelling nuts while watching TV
• Always educating and teaching
• Aprons
  • I remember I loved the aprons at her house so much that she made me 3 of my own and I treasure them
• Canning food
• Listening to her tell stories about her life
• Beautiful cursive handwriting
• Brown bags of gifts for everyone & Bingo at the Christmas party

Quilting

Grandpa & Grandma

A big pot of soup w/ bread bowls…the more the merrier

Grandma & Cula

Showing Dad where she wants the rose bushes trimmed

Sharing stories on the couch

Crying with Aunt Cula

Trip To Bicknell 2006

Autumn’s Blessing Day

Grandma’s Birthday 2007

Lunch At Golden Corral

Grandpa & Grandma & Autumn

Grandma Johnson,

You are incredibly loved,
You will be greatly missed,
But your influence in our lives
Will never diminish.

“OH, GARBAGE!”