Obituary: Marilyn Joyce (Van Langendon) Johnson

Marilyn Joyce (Van Langendon) Johnson, 92, passed away peacefully with her family nearby on April 13, 2017, after battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Marilyn was born on November 13, 1924 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to William and Ottilia (Stika) Van Langendon.

She grew up in Green Bay, known by family and friends as “Tiny.’ As a young girl, Marilyn enjoyed singing and playing guitar, often accompanying her sister Emerald who skillfully played accordion. She also loved to work in the greenhouse and family florist business.

Marilyn married Frederick Leroy Johnson (deceased, 1981) in 1945 during WWII and they had three children; James Leroy Johnson, William Van Johnson, and Patricia (Johnson) Brasher. Marilyn raised her family as a homemaker with her husband “Bud”. They moved from New York to California in 1963 where Bud worked as an electrical engineer until his death from lung cancer in 1981. Marilyn never remarried.

She was preceded in death by her oldest son James in 2000. She and her son William then moved to Prescott Valley in central Arizona to be near her daughter Trisha, son-in-law Dan and her two beloved granddaughters.

Marilyn is survived by her brother John (Marilyn) Van Langendon of Green Bay, Wisc.; sister Emerald (Van Langendon) Conley of Green Bay, Wisc. (who passed away 6 days later on April 19, 2017); sister Pat (Gene) Pezon of Indian River, Mich.; children, William of Prescott, Ariz. and Patricia (Dan) Brasher of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; granddaughters Jennifer Evans (Brian) Crete of Concord, New Hamp., and Monica Evans of Portland, Maine; twin two-year-old great-granddaughters Elliot and Raegan Crete of Concord, New Hamp.; and niece-in-law Suzie Davies of Michigan and family. Marilyn was an organ donor and the family honored her spirit of giving by donating her body for medical and Alzheimer’s research. No services are planned. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be given to World Vision, a Christian humanitarian charity.

Information provided by survivors.


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