Olive Johnson

Olive Bessie Johnson, a wonderful mother, sister, grandma, great-grandma, great-great grandma and friend passed away early on March 26, 2010. She was born on Aug. 14, 1917, in Stockton, Utah.



She was the sixth child of James Arnold and Bessie Hill Johnson. Olive was raised in Stockton and attended school there as well as in Tooele, Utah. Olive met her sweetheart, James Anthony Johnson, and they were married on June 3, 1936. They raised six daughters: Janet Lucille (Leslie Garrard), Eileen Marie (Keaton McCumber), Patricia (Richard Green), Pamela (Raymond Hilton), Wendy Bessie (Joseph Harry), and Vanessa Ada (Howard Pinkston). In 1959 when Olive was 42 years old, she moved the family to Grants to join husband James, who had started a new job working in the uranium mines. Her interests included, crocheting, photography, canning, bargain shopping and caring for many of her grandchildren. She was a very caring mama and grandmother and was always willing to help her family as well as others. Olive was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and attended the Mesa Arizona Temple in March of 1998 to be sealed for time and all eternity to Jim. She served in various organizations including being called as a nursery leader when she was in her 70s. She truly loved spending time with the children. In 1972 while in route to visit daughter Pam and family, Olive and Jim were involved in an automobile accident that resulted in the death of Jim and severe injuries for Olive. Life changed for Olive in more ways than one and she was fortunate to obtain employment at the same company where Jim had worked, the Homestake Uranium Mines. Olive was the first woman to work at Homestake, capping fuses for dynamite Howard and Vanessa built their home which included a room for Olive and one for Howard's mother, Alice. Olive moved in about 1989 in order to help with the care of Andrew, Philip and Stephen where she lived until her death. During that time she became an important part of the family providing loving care to the entire family. In her later years the cure was reversed and the Pinkston family gave her such wonderful loving care. Mom appreciated and loved them and we too love and appreciate each member of the Pinkston family for the tender loving care they so willingly provided. She will be greatly missed by all. She was a wonderful, joyful lady, kind to everyone she met. We will miss her but we know she is with our daddy, our sister Pat, her parents and brothers and sisters.



She is survived by one sister: Helen Rydalch; five daughters and six son-in-laws, 22 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Olive was preceded in death by her parents: James Arnold and Bessie (Hill) Johnson; husband: James A. Johnson; daughter: Patricia (Johnson) Green; grandchildren: Gregory Garrard, Ellen Garrard, Scott Green and Kenneth Hilton; great-grandson: Jared Garrard; granddaughters-in-law: Patricia Garrard and Shanna Garrard; brothers: Ernest, Arnold, Gerald and Vern; sisters: Emma (Johnson) Featherstone, Philhemina Johnson and Ada (Johnson) Russell.