Mary Louise Johnson

Mary Louise (Peterson) Johnson, 96, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away peacefully February 9, 2024 surrounded by loved ones. Mary was born December 7, 1927 in Ephraim, Utah to Lawrence Ray Peterson and Nancy Ann Lamb, and was the youngest of 5 children. 

Her family moved to Pleasant Grove when she was 5 years old after losing the family farm during the Great Depression. A few years later, at the age of 8, Mary tragically lost her father leaving her mother to raise her and her four older brothers. 

She was married to Robert Alexander Johnson on October 13, 1948 and they had 5 beautiful children together. 

Mary had a creative spirit and a natural artistic talent which she developed a lifetime passion for after winning a district-wide art contest while in the first grade. She continued to develop her talents while studying art at BYU where she received high praise and encouragement from the department head. Over the years, she generously gifted many of her beautiful art pieces to family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and even some local business. 

Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious, and she approached life with a sense of curiosity and wonder. Mary took great pride in everything she did and was eager to explore new ideas and could often be found “tinkering” with a new invention or art form. She loved exploring new places and often took road trips, sometimes with no clear destination believing the journey was more important. 

Mary was a faithful member of the LDS church and was honored to serve in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Mission in 1993-1994. She often spoke fondly of her time there and cherished the friendships she made. 

Mary is survived by her loving children: Nancy, Bruce (Louise), Brent (Lynda), Kevin (Chris), and Bill (Zila) as well as her 18 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren & 7 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert Alexander Johnson, and her brothers Laurence Richard "Dick," John Ray, Paul Robert "Bob," and Don Cornelius.

A graveside service to honor Mary's life will be held at Evergreen Cemetery, 1997 S 400 E St. Springville, Utah on February 16, 2024, at 12:00pm. Following the service, a memorial luncheon will take place from 3:00pm to 6:00pm at the Kearns ward house, 5107 S 5600 W, Kearns, Utah.

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