Dorothy J. Johnson

Dorothy Jeanne “DJ” Thomas Johnson, 88, passed away Sunday, May 1, 2016 at OSF Medical Center in Peoria. She was born January 19, 1928 in Kewanee, IL to Lisle and Frances (Sweet) Thomas and she married August Eldon Johnson on September 4, 1948. He preceded her in death along with her parents and her grandson. Surviving are her children, Julie (Larry) Frank of Peoria, John (Laura) Johnson of East Peoria and Jeannie Jarigese of Buda, IL; 8 grandchildren, Christopher, Jeremy & Zachary Frank, Stacey Rosenow, Consuelo Spohn, Ana Pikula and David and Thomas Jarigese; and 11 great grandchildren. She graduated from Sheffield High School in 1946 and from the Michael Reece Hospital School for Infant Nursing in 1947. Children and young people have always been the center of DJ’s Life beginning with a long career as a Sunday school teacher, Girl Scout leader, Campfire Girl’s leader, and the Bureau County Executive Director for Campfire Girls. As a volunteer, DJ received the Drum Corps International Volunteer of the Year award twice during 41 years of participating. She served for and traveled with the Kewanee Black Knights Drum & Bugle Corps beginning in 1968. She followed them when they became the Geneseo Knights, the Quad City Nights, the Knights Command, and the Knight Express until the group disbanded. She was then recruited by the Madison Scouts Drum Corps and finished her career with the Blue Star Drum & Bugle Corps. In the months that she wasn’t traveling with the corps DJ served as the Bradley University theater Costumer from 1979 -2000 and regularly worked in costume repair and as a dresser at the Peoria Civic Center. She also worked with the Peoria Civic Ballet, Peoria Opera Company, and numerous community theaters. She was a member of the DAR, Buda Public Library Board, the IL Valley Library System Board and the Trinity Lutheran Church in Manlius. A memorial service will begin at 3:00 pm Saturday, May 7, 2016 at the Davison-Fulton Woodland Chapel 2021 N University St, Peoria, IL 61604. Memorial visitation will be two hours prior to the service. Inurnment will be at Manlius Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Mason Memorial Library in Buda.