Obituary for Joan Ann Johnson (McLaren)
On Monday afternoon, December 12, 2022 Joan Ann Johnson peacefully passed away to be with Jesus, surrounded by family and friends. Earlier in November, she was hospitalized for pneumonia and pulmonary lung disease. She was 84 years old. Ronald Hugh Johnson, her husband passed away in August of 2021. She is survived by her Son Wyatt (Sandy), daughter Donna, Granddaughter Ashley (Michael), grandson Brett and great-granddaughter Sattin. Joan’s sister Doris and her nieces Laura and Cathy were present at her passing.
Joan was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Andrew and Meta McLaren on January 23, 1938. She was raised in New Milford, New Jersey, with her older brother Robert Washington and younger sister, Doris. Joan graduated from Hackensack High School and later attended Dartmouth College and Hackensack Hospital to become a Registered Nurse. In 1959, Joan and Ronald married in New Milford, New Jersey, their childhood home town, and began a journey that carried Joan and Ron to Japan, California and by 1962, Albany, Georgia.
Joan spent the next 30 years raising her two children, gardening, volunteering, attending church and working. She also enjoyed music very much, as she sang in the choir of every church she attended. She and Ron attended Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, where Joan sang in the choir, volunteered with the ECW and later became the treasurer and bookkeeper for the parish. Joan enjoyed creating with ceramics, painting and quilting, many items of which were sold in the church bizarre. She and Ron enjoyed fishing, camping and boating. They eventually became members of the U.S. Power Squadron of Albany. Joan also enjoyed taking a break, traveling with her children to New Jersey and Florida to visit family and friends. During the late seventies, her father, Andrew McLaren and later, her mother-in-law Mildred Johnson, relocated to Albany to be nearer to Joan and Ron.
After Andrew passed away, Joan and Ron looked towards Ron’s retirement. When in 1992, they moved to Mexico Beach, Florida, where they enjoyed boating and fishing. They became members of the U.S. Power Squadron of Panama City, Florida. They also became members of Saint James Episcopal Church in Port Saint Joe, where she was a member of the ECW. They continued to enjoy boating, fishing and growing in the community of Mexico Beach. After Wyatt’s marriage to Sandy, and the birth of Ashley and Brett, Joan and Ron decided to relocate to Warner Robins, Georgia to be closer to them. They became members of All Saints Episcopal Church of Warner Robins were Joan volunteered with the Food Bank and the ECW. In July of 2006, Joan, Ron, Father Paul and Linda Gerlock, with several others started Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, with the first services held at Joan and Ron’s home. With the hand of God, they later purchased land and built a church building, which is on US41 in Fort Valley, Georgia. She was involved with the design of the church building and the life of the church. Joan volunteered with the ACW women’s group, sang in the choir and served as the treasurer / bookkeeper, and started the “Barn”. Joan so loved CTR and her family.
As Robert, her brother told her, you are strong. And Joan was strong through out her life. She made the lives of others better by her love. She will be missed.
The requiem mass for Joan Johnson will be held at Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church. The service will be a morning service, with interment at the columbarium in the church. CTR is located at 2815 US Hwy 41, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030.
Joan was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Andrew and Meta McLaren on January 23, 1938. She was raised in New Milford, New Jersey, with her older brother Robert Washington and younger sister, Doris. Joan graduated from Hackensack High School and later attended Dartmouth College and Hackensack Hospital to become a Registered Nurse. In 1959, Joan and Ronald married in New Milford, New Jersey, their childhood home town, and began a journey that carried Joan and Ron to Japan, California and by 1962, Albany, Georgia.
Joan spent the next 30 years raising her two children, gardening, volunteering, attending church and working. She also enjoyed music very much, as she sang in the choir of every church she attended. She and Ron attended Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, where Joan sang in the choir, volunteered with the ECW and later became the treasurer and bookkeeper for the parish. Joan enjoyed creating with ceramics, painting and quilting, many items of which were sold in the church bizarre. She and Ron enjoyed fishing, camping and boating. They eventually became members of the U.S. Power Squadron of Albany. Joan also enjoyed taking a break, traveling with her children to New Jersey and Florida to visit family and friends. During the late seventies, her father, Andrew McLaren and later, her mother-in-law Mildred Johnson, relocated to Albany to be nearer to Joan and Ron.
After Andrew passed away, Joan and Ron looked towards Ron’s retirement. When in 1992, they moved to Mexico Beach, Florida, where they enjoyed boating and fishing. They became members of the U.S. Power Squadron of Panama City, Florida. They also became members of Saint James Episcopal Church in Port Saint Joe, where she was a member of the ECW. They continued to enjoy boating, fishing and growing in the community of Mexico Beach. After Wyatt’s marriage to Sandy, and the birth of Ashley and Brett, Joan and Ron decided to relocate to Warner Robins, Georgia to be closer to them. They became members of All Saints Episcopal Church of Warner Robins were Joan volunteered with the Food Bank and the ECW. In July of 2006, Joan, Ron, Father Paul and Linda Gerlock, with several others started Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, with the first services held at Joan and Ron’s home. With the hand of God, they later purchased land and built a church building, which is on US41 in Fort Valley, Georgia. She was involved with the design of the church building and the life of the church. Joan volunteered with the ACW women’s group, sang in the choir and served as the treasurer / bookkeeper, and started the “Barn”. Joan so loved CTR and her family.
As Robert, her brother told her, you are strong. And Joan was strong through out her life. She made the lives of others better by her love. She will be missed.
The requiem mass for Joan Johnson will be held at Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church. The service will be a morning service, with interment at the columbarium in the church. CTR is located at 2815 US Hwy 41, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030.