Patricia Helen Johnson

Pat was born in Spokane, Washington on January 19, 1938 to her parents Albert and Hilda (Witkopf) Taylor. Pat and her beloved sister, Myrna, were the only two children from this marriage. She attended Bemis Grade School and graduated from John R. Rogers High School in 1956. Following high school, she married Roland “Skip” Schlepp on June 20, 1956 and they lived in Spokane for a few years, adding to their family children, Greg, Denise and Denette. Then the family moved to Seattle for 4 years while Skip attended Dental School at UW, (some of Pat’s happiest years), returning to Spokane to open a practice with pat as the chairside assistant and receptionist. They were married for 20 years and cherished many family memories of skiing at Schweitzer and Mt. Spokane, and years of friends and family around their backyard pool. They remained close friends.

Several years later Pat married Elwyn G. Johnson. They were married and enjoyed many years together until his passing in 2013. Pat and Elwyn loved spending time together at their home with family, and spent many years enjoying their friends at the Northside Eagles.

Pat’s employment through her lifetime started with a job she held for 1-2 years with an insurance company, Corkery & Jones. She then spent several years at home as a wife and mother. Found her dream job at Spokane Community College around 1975. Through her career there she received many promotions retiring from the Public Information Building at the age of 62. She loved her time at the college. Many friends of hers were also employed at Spokane Falls Community College (Sharon, June, Bev, LaWanna) and made new friends (Sass, Robin). Many of them remain in contact and lunch together. Pat was especially fond of her last boss, Jennifer Roseman.

Pat’s favorite times of her life were the years she lived in Seattle, visiting the zoo and Green Lake often. She always longed for Seattle and kept threatening to leave and move back there. She loved the years there with her sister, Myrna (and her 6 children) living here in Spokane, where they lived life together (shopping mostly) and taking day trips in the car, and visiting with Sharon who lived a couple houses away. Pat enjoyed the season she worked at the Monroe Street Taco Time with her mom, who was the manager (so many fun stories). In later years, after retiring, she spent every day in her yard and then followed up with an afternoon visit with her Eagles clan where they solved world problems she said.

Pat will be remembered most for her love of family, the many home-cooked meals she so lovingly prepared, and her holiday traditions which consisted of decorations and lights galore, and food, food, and more food!

Her passions in life were her beautiful home, her yard and garden of which she was most proud, her love of cooking and collecting recipes, her continued lifelong friendships (from grade school through high school) and her more recent friends she enjoyed spending time with at the Eagles.

Pat was preceded in death by both her parents, Albert and Hilda, her first husband, Skip Schlepp, and husband, Elwyn Johnson.

She is survived by her children Greg (Julie) Schlepp, Denise Schlepp (Mary Yakawich), Denette (Dan) Witkowski; grandchildren Kayla Witkowski, Luke (Nadine) Witkowski, Tara (Alec) Harmon, Jessie Andersen (Tim O’Brein) and one great-granddaughter, Athena Andersen; her sister Myrna (John) Weber and several nieces and nephews.

The entire family in this time of loss, are grateful for the many memories and legacy of family Pat has left behind. They would like to extend their special thanks to the staff at Rockwood South Atrium (where Pat spent the last 16 days) and to her lifelong friends Sharon Grimmer and Ron Lehtola.

Memorial services are being planned for a later date this year due to Covid. A notice will be placed at that time.