Eleanor M Johnson

Eleanor Mavity Johnson was born on January 8, 1916 in French Lick, Indiana; the daughter of Norman B. and Myrtle Maris Mavity. Her brother Julian was seven years old at the time of her birth. Eleanor passed away on April 24, 2017.

She graduated from High School in 1932 and attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. While at Earlham College, she met her future husband Ralph Johnson. After graduating from college, Eleanor worked in Indianapolis as a secretary. Ralph and she were married on October 16, 1938.

After their wedding the couple moved to Evanston, IL and lived in an apartment until they bought a house at 2222 Colfax Street in the Back-Lot neighborhood. This home proved to be a wonderful place to raise their three children; Virginia, Richard and Steven.

Eleanor was active in community affairs, including P.T.A., Girl Scouts and her church, Evanston Meeting of Friends (Quaker). Additionally, she was a long time member of the Woman’s Athletic Club and particularly enjoyed playing golf in the summer while during the winter months she played marathon bridge.

Eleanor continued to use her secretarial skills by typing dissertations for doctoral candidates. She also organized and typed a manuscript for a book called The Mavity Family from genealogical material collected by her father.

After the children were in college, she went back to the business world and worked part-time for an Evanston law firm for sixteen years. Ralph and Eleanor took great pleasure in spending time with their children and grandchildren in California and Washington.

Nine years after Ralph Johnson’s death in 2000, Eleanor and her daughter Virginia moved into Westminster Place of the Presbyterian Homes. Virginia passed away a year and a half in their new home, but Eleanor continued to enjoy the activities there, particularly the bridge games, jigsaw puzzles and volunteering in the Library. Her son, Richard, passed away in 2014.

Her immediate family lives on the West Coast, so she was fortunate to have the loving presence and support of several Johnson nephews-in-law and their wives; particularly Tom (Ann) Johnson and Larry (Bunny) Johnson.

She is survived by her son, Steve (Judy), daughter-in-law Andrea, six grandchildren; Mary Johnson (Curtis Hembroff), Jennifer Capria (Kirk), Greg Johnson (Cindy), Kim Johnson Marar (Devan), Stephanie Yatzeck (David) and Steven Johnson (Sara); ten great-grandchildren (Matt Tallon (Yulia), Rachel Johnson, Alec Capria, Dylan Capria, Ethan Capria, Miles Johnson, Oliver Marar, Lucy Marar, Natalie Yatzeck, and Everly Rose Johnson) and three great-great grandchildren (Delilah Tallon, Mika Tallon, John Stiers) as well as her niece, Jacqueline Mavity Grisaffe (Sal). She was a remarkable woman and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Memorial Services will be held at 1:30 pm on May 6th in Elliott Chapel @ Presbyterian Homes, Evanston, Il. 60201. Contributions to American Friends Service Committee would be appreciated in lieu of flowers. For more info 847-251-8200

Arrangements under the direction of Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home, Wilmette, IL.