Dorothy E Johnson

Dorothy was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt. She was born in Chicago Illinois, and married her grade school sweetheart (Gordon) on November 4, 1950. They moved from Chicago to the suburb of Northbrook, and there they raised their 4 children: Scott, Karna, Peter, and Amy. She was very active in the Winnetka Covenant Church – always with activities that involved education (ie Sunday school teacher, Vacation Bible School coordinator, Christmas program narrator, etc). In 1973 Gordon and Dorothy relocated to Lakeland Florida, where they started the “2nd chapter of their life”. They were active members in Christ United Methodist Church, and once again she was involved in the various church activities (ie Mother’s day luncheons, narrator of Christmas programs, and teaching Sunday school). Their social interactions consisted of activities with their church friends – and they regularly entertained their friends and families in their home. Both Gordon and Dorothy loved to travel, and they visited 46 states during their travels. Dorothy loved history, so their trips were divided into 3 categories: 1) camping with other families, 2) visiting relatives, or 3) visiting historical places of interest. Dorothy was always the “co-pilot” and navigated with a map on her lap, and even in her later years, she loved to go on car rides to see how the world was changing. Dorothy took some accounting classes at the local night college in Chicago, and ultimately used those skills when she was responsible for the bookkeeping for the laundries that she and Gordon owned in Florida. She also owned a store in Lakeland called “The Needleworks” – which specialized in the hobbies of knitting, cross stich, and needlepoint – and she was an accomplished enthusiast in all of those crafts in addition to sewing. She was a lifelong learner and gracious host, and she cherished time spent with her family and friends and all of her actions demonstrated her religious beliefs. “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something…..My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference” (Jimmy Carter). A celebration of her life will be held at Crystal Lake United Methodist Church on Saturday, September 20th at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to your favorite charity in her memory.

Dorothy E Johnson

September 17, 1927 - August 25, 2025