Mary E. (Betty) Johnson

Mary E. (Betty) Johnson, age 78, passed away peacefully in her home in Albuquerque on November 30, 2013. She is survived by her husband, Orville; son and daughter-in-law, Jeffrey and Laura and their son Bradley; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Michelle and their daughters, Esther and Marie; a daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Jeffery Idol; and her youngest daughter, Lisa and her husband William Crawford. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers, Leroy and Michael and by her oldest, beloved son Christian who joined his maker in 2004. Betty was born in Baltimore, MD on June 23, 1935 to her parents Leroy and Mary Calligan and was graduated from Catholic High School where she developed an interest and talent in art, especially oil painting. She maintained this interest and activity for the remainder of her life with an addition of a side interest in clay sculpturing. Following her graduation, she was employed by American Airlines, where she took an interest in flying with her first flight lesson in a J-3 Piper Cub in 1956. It was through this interest that she met her husband-to-be Orville whom she married on March 17, 1958. They started their family in rapid succession and when they moved to New Mexico in 1968, they arrived with five children ages 9, 8, 7, 5, and 3. With a large family consuming her time as a mother and provider, she always found a way to welcome all the friends of her children and her house became a haven for kids attracted to her outgoing personality and joyful outlook on life. Her husbands' work took them to Santa Fe for about 15 years where the same family activities developed along with her pursuit of the arts and especially sculpturing available there. Betty and Orville returned to Albuquerque after his retirement to be near all their children who all live there. Following a bout with pneumonia in 2004, she contacted a pulmonary disease which limited her social and artistic activities which she loved so dearly. Rosary will be recited Thursday, December 5, 2013, 7:00 p.m., at FRENCH - Wyoming. Friends may visit beginning at 6:00 p.m. A Prayer Service will be held Friday, December 6, 2013, 11:00 a.m., also at FRENCH - Wyoming. Private interment will take place. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Animal Humane NM, 615 Virginia St. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400