Betty Jean Johnson (Jean) 84, Overland Park, Kansas passed away unexpectedly on Friday June 24, 2022.
Jean was born on June 22, 1938 in Billings, Montana to David and Eleanor (Giles) Moffet.
She graduated high school in Denver, Colorado and attended 1 year of college before marrying and starting a family.
Jean met the love of her life, Ron Johnson, while he was stationed in Denver and both were working at a movie theatre. They married on August 18, 1957 and were blessed to spend 60 years together until Ron's passing in 2017. Together they had 3 children, Russell, Suzanne and Diane.
Jean was blessed with an abundance of friends throughout her life. She was one of the lucky ones who could connect with just about anyone. She was grateful to have each and every friend as they so enriched her life. But as is the case with most people, some bonds run deeper than others. One such bond was with her "sister by another mother" Barbara Jackson. Jean and Barbara met later in life but were able to pack what felt like a lifetime of love, respect, admiration and fun into a few short years.
Jean was always the fun one. She could be so silly and liked to joke around, even when the joke was at her own expense. She loved to crank the radio volume in her car and sing along to the music. She loved to dance and would do so every chance she could. She had her own unique vocabulary… using words she made up when she could not remember the correct word for something.
Jean was fortunate to travel widely during her life. She and Ron enjoyed many cruises and trips to Mexico, Hawaii and several other islands. She was able to explore the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower, catch a glimpse of the royal family at Buckingham Palace, behold the splendor of Venice, Italy, and scream in terror at a scorpion in her shower in Tortuguero, Costa Rica. She also had many great experiences traveling throughout the states…being interviewed live by the Today show hosts on the Studio 1A Rockefeller Plaza, being a contestant on The Price is Right (the winner outbid her by $5), riding in a parade with "Shamu" in one of Ron's classic cars. But none of these places compared to her favorite, Colorado.
Jean lived in many places during her life. Besides Billings, Montana she lived in Gillette, Wyoming, Denver, Colorado, Omaha, Nebraska, Orlando, Florida, Roswell, New Mexico, Kansas City, Missouri, San Diego, California, Olathe, KS and in Las Vegas, NV for over 20 years.
Jean was an avid fan of the KC Chiefs, KC Royals, KU Jayhawks and admired the K-State Wildcats.
Survivors include her daughters: Suzanne (Norman) Patterson and Diane Hansel, son, Russell (Pam) Johnson. Grandchildren: Chad (Christina) Carson, Branden Patterson, Jessica Hansel, Megan Hansel (Justin Gibson) and Evan (Hailey) Johnson. Great-grandchildren: Zeke and Levi Carson, Liam, Beckett and Reece Bustillo, Craiger Gibson, Cooper Johnson and her loving and faithful canine companion, Peaches.
Jean was proceeded in death by her husband, Ron, her parents, her brother David Moffet, son-in-law, Craig Hansel and step grandson, Lee Patterson.
Jean was a lover of both people and animals. She was very concerned with the struggles of others and the care of all animals. Although Jean loved the beauty and the thoughtfulness of receiving flowers, she and her family would be grateful for donations to be made in lieu of flowers. Here are some of her favorites:
KC Pet Project
7077 Elmwood Ave
Kansas City, MO 64132
Great Plains ASPCA
5424 Antioch Drive
Merriam, KS 66202
Mission Southside
514 S. Kansas Avenue
Olathe, KS 66061
To leave a message of condolence for Jean's family or to share a special memory of Jean, please visit the guestbook below.