Victoria Johnson, beloved wife and mother, daughter, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother went to her heavenly home on February 21, 2021. Victoria was 87 years old and a resident of North Richland Hills, Texas.
The family will receive friends during visitation on Thursday, March 11, 2021 from 5pm to 7pm at Shannon Rufe Snow Funeral Chapel. Victoria will be laid to rest at Edgewood Cemetery of Lancaster, Texas where a Graveside Service will be held on Friday, March 12, 2021 at 11:00am.
Victoria Gerich was born to Bob and Annie Gerich on January 27, 1934 in Ellis County, Texas. As the second of ten children, many of Victoria’s fondest memories of her proud Czech heritage were of her mother cooking fried chicken, kielbasa sausages and baking kolaches and apple-raisin strudels and of her daddy, a hardworking sharecropper, who raised their large family with plenty of food on the table and even more love to go around. Victoria was a self-described country girl who lived on a farm and grew up barefoot; picking cotton, driving a tractor, tending to the cows, a few pigs, chickens and all the while eating homegrown and canned foods from their family vegetable garden.
While Victoria was quite proud of her country roots, she would certainly let others know that she had a quick wit and was a strong, hardworking gal and who was ready to be out on her own. After graduating from St John High School in 1951. Victoria moved to the Oak Cliff area of Dallas and worked downtown as a 17 year old telephone operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone. During these early years she experienced life, made new friends while always remembering her family back home. As the years went by, she settled down and married a Kansas farm boy; Cecil Leroy Johnson on August 3rd, 1956. The couple made their home in the Oak Cliff area where Victoria gave birth to the couple’s eldest son, Kenneth Ray in 1960 and then their second son, Dennis Keith in 1961. Eventually the family would settle in the little country suburb of Lancaster, Texas to raise their growing family. There, they would welcome the births of their son Randal Bryan in 1966 and daughter Cynthia Lynn in 1969.
Victoria kept their busy household running as she took care of the children. She enjoyed the outdoors immensely, was an avid gardener and she could be found most seasons working in her yard, planting and tending to her vegetables and flowers or in the kitchen preparing one of her delicious desserts. Victoria spent much of her time being a stay-at-mom and homemaker; sewing clothes for the children, tending to her garden and flowers and always baking or cooking. After getting her driver’s license, she could often be seen driving around town in her 1963 baby-blue Pontiac. She loved spending holidays and birthday celebrations with her family and always going back home to visit the farm. As time went on and as her children grew to adulthood; she received more great joy with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who affectionately called her “Grandma” and made many of their own special memories with her. Finally, as an empty-nester she went back to work and spent a long career at Bank of America. Victoria cherished all her brothers and sisters; but mostly her older sister Margaret, which she stayed close throughout her life remembering all those great times talking and laughing together.
Victoria was preceded in death by her father, Bob Gerich; mother, Annie Gerich; beloved husband Cecil L Johnson and oldest son, Kenneth Ray Johnson; brother Wesley Gerich and sister Anna Lou Jones. She is survived by her sons, Dennis Johnson and his wife Lori, Randal Johnson and his wife Jessica, and daughter Cynthia Patrizi and her husband Joseph. Her grandchildren; Brian Johnson and Michelle Roberts (Kenneth); Andrea McGuire, Brandi Edwards and Kiley Wolzen (Dennis); Olivia and Jake Johnson (Randal); her great-grandchildren; Idayla Roberts, Raven Citchfield, Elliette and Finley McGuire and Capucine Edwards; her sisters; Margaret Haskovek, Dorothy Gerich, Patsy Slovak; her brothers Emil Gerich, Stanley Gerich, Raymond Gerich and Edward Gerich and a host of cherished sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Victoria’s passing leaves a sadness for us all, but we rejoice as she is now in the arms of her Heavenly Father, her husband, son and siblings. She was a very beautiful, caring and loving mother and wife. She will always be remembered as someone who touched so many with her thoughtful and happy ways, always having a smile on her face and the love of laughter. Victoria will be dearly missed as she continues to live in our hearts forever.
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