Janice L. Johnson

Janice “JJ” L. Johnson 79, was welcomed into heaven, Tuesday, August 25, 2015, after complications during heart surgery following a heart attack. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was born in Waterbury, Connecticut and moved to St. Augustine, Florida at an early age after her father “got sand in his shoes”. She and her husband relocated their family to Temple Terrace in 1963. She will be missed most by her loving husband of 60 years, Charles; three sons, Chaz, Dale and his wife Karen, and Scott; grandchildren, Erik, Kory, Christina and Luke; brother, Harry LaVigne, Jr. and his wife Phyllis; nephew, Bryan and niece, Karyn, and her countless friends. JJ was a real estate agent for over 35 years, most recently for Coldwell Banker. She was a very active member of the Temple Terrace Women’s Golf Association, Northside Auxiliary and GTAR. As a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, JJ brought joy to many. 2015 marked JJ’s celebration as a 9 year survivor of Ovarian Cancer. Although her passion was taking care of her family, JJ had many interests. She was a bridge fanatic, having learned the game at a very early age from her father, Harry. She enjoyed playing golf with her husband and friends and she was good at it, winning many club tournaments. The daily crossword puzzles were the way she started every day, finishing them in record time. She was also an avid reader. Everyone who had the honor of knowing JJ knew that her favorite color was purple. Not only was purple her choice for clothing and accessorizing, but whenever possible, it was also the color of her car, golf clubs and bag, pots and pans, dishes, Christmas tree and the majority of the interior of her home! Charlie had to draw the line when it came to painting the outside of the house. JJ and her husband enjoyed a very full life in Temple Terrace raising their 3 sons and celebrating with good friends. The Johnson house was the neighborhood hangout for all the boys’ friends. JJ even had a gigantic designated drawer in the kitchen that all visitors knew was set aside with goodies, selected just for them! JJ was not only a wonderful mom to her boys, she was also “mom” to all their friends, always there for everyone, anytime, and anywhere! One of her favorite things to do would be to pile everyone, friends included, into the family station wagon and head out on adventure after adventure! JJ supported her boys in every way, from volunteering as homeroom mom, to Cub Scout Den Mother, to attending all of their sporting events, cheering them on from the bleachers. She never missed a game and was clearly their biggest fan! As her boys grew up, they cherished the opportunity of spending one-on-one time with their mom, sitting around the kitchen table or out on the deck. They would reminisce about their teenage adventures and antics, collectively agreeing that it was only by the grace of God that they all made it through. As her crew grew to include grandchildren, she hosted numerous wonderful family gatherings. One of the many treasured traditions was the annual family trip to Boca Grande for Thanksgiving, filled with delicious gourmet food, fantastic fishing, hilarious game playing and lots of shopping. JJ was an excellent cook! For many years she gathered her grown children for Monday night dinners and treated them to scrumptious meals, often experimenting with new recipes, but always adding her own special touches. JJ leaves a priceless legacy; all three of her sons know the Lord! She relentlessly took them, sometimes dragging them, to church with her every Sunday, competing with the much loved Tom and Jerry cartoons. All of them became acolytes and were confirmed in the Episcopal Church. Thanks to her encouragement and example, today, her three sons know Christ as their personal Savior, as well as all four of her grandchildren! This world will not be the same without our wonderful JJ, and we all will miss her more than words can express. We find comfort in the confidence that we will one day be reunited with her in heaven. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in her honor to the Ovarian Cancer Foundation or the American Heart Association. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, August 31, 2015 at St. Catherine of Alexandria Episcopal Church, 502 Druid Hills Rd., Temple Terrace.