Jean Marie Johnson

Jean Bruce Johnson was born on April 21, 1934 and passed away at home with family on July 27, 2018. She was the seventh of eight children of James and Pearl Bruce of Glasgow. Funeral Liturgy will be Friday, August 3, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Belt, MT. Jean attended school in Glasgow and she received a two year teaching degree from The College of Great Falls. She was a school teacher at St. Raphael’s in Glasgow, St. Gerard's in Great Falls and Evergreen near Kalispell. She also worked in Portland, Oregon for the Catholic Relief Services and as a dental assistant. In 1962, Jean married Gerald (Gerry) Johnson and became a ranch wife and ranch partner. Jean taught CCD classes at St. Mark’s Catholic Church and was also on the Belt Library Advisory Board. With four kids in sports, Jean was very busy attending basketball, football, baseball, volleyball games,and horse shows. She was very proud of her children and their accomplishments and worried and prayed for them all the time. Jean had a love for music, poetry and books. She loved reading and when the Kindle came out, she had to have one! Over the years Jean purchased and read over 400 books on her Kindle ranging from Religion, History, to Fiction. Jean also fell in love with her IPad allowing her to keep in touch by email with family and friends and loved receiving pictures from family on vacations and travel. She kept up with the daily news and listening to her daily mass on line. Though she never got to travel a lot, through her readings she actually traveled the world. Jean also was a 40 year cancer survivor and was very humble about this and told the doctor, “I have four kids to raise I will make it”. Her religion and faith in God helped her through many trying times in her life. Jean also embarked on a few adventures in her life. She was a nanny for a naval officer who was a physician for the pilots that flew the president of the United States and lived in Walnut Creek , CA for a year. She then spent time as a nanny for her niece Theresa’s daughter, after her sudden passing, whom was married to Eric Scott who played Ben on “The Waltons.”She was even featured in an article in People Magazine as “Aunt Jean from Montana”. Jean is survived by her husband of 56 years, Gerald; sons Rolf, Eric (Lisa Schuchard), Jaye; and daughter Sally (Merle Fraser); brother David Bruce; sisters Arlene Thibault and Betty Fargo; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her brothers Kenneth and Willard Bruce; and sisters Evelyn Kannenberg and Joan Bruce.