Rita Lavonne Johnson

Rita was born in Decatur, Nebraska on January 7, 1937 to Glenn M and Hazel A (Pounds) Brewer. The second youngest of seven children, Rita and her siblings lost their mother in 1940, when Rita was only 3 years old. Her early years were spent on a farm, but when she was 12 years old, she went to live with her older sister Joye and Joye’s husband, Bill, who helped raise Rita while also raising their children. Rita graduated from East High School in Sioux City, Iowa in 1956. In 1960, she traveled alone to California for a new adventure. She worked as an executive secretary for two major insurance companies located in downtown Los Angeles until she met and later married David Johnson in 1964.

Rita and David had their first daughter, Kim, and soon after moved to Anaheim, CA. A few years later, they had their second daughter, Malinda. To support their family, they owned and operated a successful business, Johnson Machinery Company, for many years in Orange County. Their marriage and business partnership ended amicably in 1994. Rita pursued other career opportunities until retiring in 2014.

In 1999, Rita met Richard “Hap” Carville. They became life partners and spent many happy years living together, traveling and supporting each other until his passing in August, 2022.

Rita loved bowling, watching tennis, sewing, knitting and crocheting. She enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, especially to meet her sisters, her brother and their spouses. She dearly loved her daughters and son-in law, but her greatest joy would come after the birth of her grandsons when she became “Grandma”. She loved every moment spent with them and watching them grow up. She attended many school functions as well as countless T-ball, Little League, high school and college baseball games. She adored spending time with them for any reason.

Rita was a wonderful, loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, companion and friend. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Rita passed away on March 23, 2024, at the age of 87, after battling cancer. She is survived by her daughters, Kim (Neil) Wagner of Huntington Beach, CA and Malinda Johnson of La Habra, CA, her grandsons Chad and Connor Green, her step-sister Patty (Marvin) Kelley of Woodbine, Iowa, many beloved nieces and nephews as well as Hap’s son Robert (Kathrine) Carville of Doncaster, England and Hap’s grandsons Benjamin and Matthew Carville.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five sisters, Fern Jacobson, Dona Joye Krager, Ann L Guarino, Iris Todd, Florine Tatro and her brother, Glenn E Brewer.