Josie had been very sick with ovarian with cancer for the last two years. The doctors gave her the option to start pain medication immediately and let the disease progress naturally, or to fight. At the age of 87, she chose to fight! She underwent so many tests, surgeries, treatments and chemotherapy, which caused many very hard days, but she fought like a trooper. Always making sure her hair and makeup were perfect when anyone came to visit.
Josie was born in Tampa, Florida to Herman Orlando and Addie Jareen Johnson on March 18, 1926. She was the baby of 10 children, who all loved and adored her.
Josie moved to the Hawaiian Islands with her mother and several siblings in 1939, to help her oldest sister in her various churches in the islands. She loved living there and could do the Hula and speak “pigeon” with the best of them! She also taught piano as a young girl at Frank Owens Studios in Honolulu. Josie was in Honolulu on December 7, 1941 and witnessed the Japanese bombers flying over her home toward Pearl Harbor. A day she would never forget and would tell her children and grandchildren about.
In 1944, she met a handsome young soldier on the streets of Honolulu during a church “street meeting”. She was so excited when he came to church the following Sunday, and while she did play hard to get, she knew he was the man for her. After his discharge from the Army, they were married in 1946.
Josie always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and over the years came up with many, many ideas. Floyd recalled how he came home from work one day and the entire house was filled to the brim with strange furniture. Josie said, “Thelma and I are opening a used furniture store!” This was one of many ventures that Floyd would say he “Lost his shirt on”!! But he always let her have her dreams and helped make them a reality.
In the mid-1960’s, she got her Real Estate License and quickly became an award winning Realtor with D. Van Lizzen Realty in Long Beach. Her warm personality, knowledge of home styles, and genuine concern for her clients made it easy for her, and earned her “Salesperson of the Year” in 1966.
Over the years, she assisted her husband Floyd in the churches he pastored, often serving as pianist and choir director. She loved playing the piano more than anything, and she often said that every member of her many choirs were like her very own children.
Josie was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Addie Johnson, brothers Ed, Wally, Johnny and Oscar. Sisters Mildred, Agnes, Dee, and Laurie, and her beloved daughter Cheryl Mitchell. She is survived by her sister Thelma of Portland, Oregon, her 4 surviving children, Nancy Osborne of Clovis, Randy Osborne of Oceanside, Cindy Domingos of Clovis, and Pam Pritchett of Pleasant View, Tennessee.
She leaves behind 16 grandchildren, who thought she was just the greatest grandma a kid could have. She was often comical without even trying, and they took note of that every time and loved to share the “Grandma” stories when the family was together!
She also leaves behind 17 great-grandchildren, who will also come to know and love her through many wonderful stories and pictures. Left behind are also her many beloved nieces and nephews, who cherished her and all have their own loving memories of their childhood with Aunt Josie.
There will be private interment later in the Fall in Clovis, California. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hinds Hospice of Fresno California, who cared for Floyd and Josie over the last 2 years.
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