Norma Marie Johnson

Norma Marie (Barrett) Johnson of Richmond, Texas, peacefully passed away in her sleep on July 27, 2022, at the age of 87 years, of natural causes. She was loving, caring and generous and will be greatly missed.

Norma was born in Peoria, IL, on September 21, 1934. Growing up, she attended Academy of Our Lady High School of Peoria and graduated as valedictorian. Upon graduation, Norma started working at Caterpillar, Inc. of Peoria, Illinois, where she met and eventually married her husband, Keith Johnson (deceased).

Their sixty-four-year marriage blessed them with four children, and now many grandchildren and great grandchildren. It was an example of a pure life partnership: they forged deep friendships as evidenced through their Supper Club, Bridge Club and Mystery Club, all friendship-related social groups; they lived on three different continents and travelled all around the world. They lived in Peoria, IL (four times); St. Louis, MO; Tokyo, Japan twice; and Geneva, Switzerland; totaling over 17 years overseas. During their years overseas and retirement, Norma and Keith visited over 50 countries, usually with their friends or family, and truly enjoyed the travel, seeing sights, chasing genealogy, and learning from different cultures.

Norma was a huge part of Keith's professional and career success at Caterpillar; they were an amazing team. She was also grateful that their lives provided her the opportunity to help others through charity work and volunteering at St Francis Hospital and St Thomas Catholic Church.

For the last ten years of Keith's career, Norma and Keith were assigned a second time to Tokyo, Japan, so Norma was able to support many organizations: the Japan-American Women's Club, the International Ladies Benevolent Society, Ikebana International, Women's Group at the American Club, the Tokyo-Washington Women's Club, and the Nadeshiko-Kai.

The Japan-American Women's Club and The International Ladies Benevolent Society were the two that kept her the busiest. She eventually served as President of both groups and earned her way onto their Boards of Directors.

Norma was also one of about one hundred members of the Nadeshiko-Kai group. This was strictly a social group of mostly Japanese women and a few foreigners, including some of the ambassadors' wives, who met monthly to encourage cultural exchange. As one of the leaders of the group, Norma was granted a rare honor for a foreigner: she was fortunate enough to have met and had tea with the Princess, one of many highlights of living in Tokyo.

Throughout their lives, Norma and Keith made spending time with family a priority: they often saw their sibling's families, and they hosted all their children and their families in Japan and for trips throughout Asia. As the families grew, she and Keith went to great lengths to get the whole family together regularly at many wonderful locations, like Hawaii, Pebble Beach, Colorado, Michigan, Peoria, Florida, the Outer Banks of NC, and Hilton Head.

Norma was an avid fan of games, playing bridge and mahjong, bowling, golf and many, family game nights throughout her life. She also supported Keith's passion for the UW Badgers, the Green Bay Packers and the St. Louis Cardinals, going to football games every fall at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison and Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

She was preceded in death by her husband Keith in 2020, her parents, Norman and Marie Barrett, her only sibling, sister Shirley Barrett Clancy, Shirley's husband Larry Clancy, and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Connie & Lee Weichers.

Surviving her are her four children, spouses and families: Matthew and Kathryn (Sue) Johnson of Richmond, TX; Brian and Cris Johnson of Longwood, FL; Terri and Jim Tedford III of Sacramento, CA; Paul and Tami Johnson of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; plus eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by five nieces, three nephews and numerous great nieces and nephews.

Norma will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great grandmother, and someone who was deeply involved with her family, friends and her faith.

The Johnson family wishes to recognize the staff at Legacy at Long Meadow Senior Care Facility, Richmond, TX, for their dedicated personal care of Norma while she lived there. We would specifically wish to thank Demetra (Dee) Ariran of Houston, TX, for her unwavering devotion, love, patience and care for Norma.

A joint funeral mass will be held for Norma and Keith at 10AM at the Resurrection Mausoleum in Peoria, Illinois on October 17, 2022, with a private interment of their ashes following the mass for family members only.

For those wishing to leave a remembrance quote or story about Norma or Keith, please visit the internet site www.katyfh.com, and scroll down to Recent Obituaries to find their individual sites.

For those wishing to remember Norma, please make donations to Alzheimer's Association in her memory. We will always remember Norma as a wonderful, loving person who lived a full life and was deeply loved.