Norma Johnson
April 22, 1929 – June 28, 2026
Norma Lillian Johnson, age 97, of Gold Beach, formerly of Sweet Home, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2026.
Norma was born on April 22, 1929, in San Francisco, Calif., to Mabel and Norman Rapue. She moved to St. Paul, Minn., where she grew up under the care of her mother and paternal grandparents.
She had no siblings but often spoke fondly of childhood memories of playing with her cousins, Norm and Richard Kurkowski.
Shortly after graduating from high school, she married Jeffery Barott, and five years later they had a daughter, Patricia Ann. After she and Jeffery separated, she moved to Oakland, Calif., with her daughter and mother. She married Raymond Johnson Aug. 1, 1958, and had an exciting honeymoon in Hong Kong.
She had a successful career as a bookkeeper, working full time until she and Ray had Robert Andrew in 1965, followed 10 months later by the birth of David Charles.
The family moved from the big city in November of 1969 to a ranch in Sweet Home, where she learned to can (her sweet pickles and peaches were the best) and raise a variety of farm animals.
Ray passed away in September of 2003, and in her later years she lived with David and his family for several years, then moved to Gold Beach in March of 2020. She lived the rest of her life in Gold Beach with her daughter Patty, and Patty’s husband, Lamar Savage, and their Pomeranians Bitzy and Wolfie.
Norma was active in Central Lutheran Church in Oakland, where she served as president of the women’s group and taught Sunday School. After moving to Sweet Home, she attended Bethel Lutheran Church for a number of years, then attended River of Life Church until she moved to Gold Beach, where she joined her daughter in attending Bethany Lutheran Church.
In her 60s she started painting and was very good at it! She took and later taught classes, and she and her women’s painting group also became Red Hatters. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and a generous spirit, and always had the coffee pot on and a batch of Monster Cookies in the jar to share with visitors.
For many years she and Ray opened their home to friends and relatives who had run into a rough spot, and they would stay with them for months until they got back on their feet.
Norma is survived by her children, Patty Savage and David Johnson; grandchildren William and Huxley, and great-granddaughter Madeline Johnson
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond; son Robert; and mother Mabel.
A memorial service is planned for Aug. 29 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 94190 5th Street in Gold Beach at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Wally’s House – Curry Child Abuse Intervention Center, P.O. Box 1845, Gold Beach OR 97444.