Elizabeth Eleanora Johnson

Born in Lethbridge, Alberta on June 7th 1936, to Josephus and Elizabeth Wachtler, Eleanora was the youngest of ten children. She grew up on the family farm in Milk River, Alberta. Her Dad passed away when she was just five and childhood memories were of chores and responsibilities, dotted with chasing gophers and splashing in the creek.

Eleanora attended school in Milk River and Medicine Hat but didn’t quite manage to finish her schooling. Instead, she worked a series of jobs in her late teens and early twenties, moving back and forth from the farm, and then to Banff, Alberta.

Eventually relocating to Calgary, Eleanora lived with her sister, Marie, and secured a permanent job, working as an elevator operator for the T. Eaton Company (later known as Eaton’s).

On the weekends when dances were being hosted, Eleanora and her girlfriends would go to the local Army base. It was at one of those events that she met a tall young trooper named Barrie Johnson.

Eleanora and Barrie grew close very quickly and, on her birthday in 1957, he proposed. A wedding ceremony was not expected any time soon however, as Barrie was training for an over-sea’s deployment. When he actually left though, they quickly realized they just missed each other too much. So, by telegram they hatched a plan. And, within two months, Eleanora was on her way to Europe, alone, to reunite with the love of her life.

Eleanora and Barrie were married in Germany in January 1958. They welcomed a daughter later that year. Returning to Canada in 1959, the family lived in Calgary, Alberta for six years. During that time Eleanora had another daughter, two sons and one more little girl.

Barrie’s Army postings saw Eleanora and her family move to St. Bruno, Quebec, Oromocto, New Brunswick, and eventually, back to Calgary. When he finally retired, the couple made one final move to Richmond, British Columbia.

Barrie and Eleanora were married for 62 years.

Their five children gave them seventeen grandchildren. Ten great-grandchildren followed, and there is another one on the way.

Eleanora’s life was all about family. Her husband and children were her world, but she did still manage a few other interests along the way.

She returned to work for a bit after the kids were on their own, working as a prep cook at Woodward’s.

She was a gatherer of collectable spoons, decorative china & ornamental knickknacks, as well as a variety of interesting and amusing frogs and slugs, some of which could be found both inside and outside of the house in Richmond where she loved to garden.

Eleanora also enjoyed cooking and baking, amassing many recipes as her family grew.

Despite being outwardly quiet and unassuming, Eleanora had a huge impact on everyone who knew her and loved her.

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Our Soul and Our Rock!

You will be forever in our hearts and greatly missed…

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Eleanora is pre-deceased by her parents, and siblings, her loving husband, Barrie, her daughter Eileen, and grandsons, Kevin and Spencer.

She is survived by her children – Donna (Robert) Vit of Nooksack, Washington, Richard (Tracy) Johnson of Langley, BC, Pat (Laurie) Johnson of Richmond, BC and Beth (Carsten) Sorensen of Chilliwack, BC.

Her grandchildren – Adam & Sarah, Eric (Jill), Josh (Kaitrin), Katie (Miranda) & Becky, Miles, Luke, Cody & Teri, Amber, Tanya (Jeremiah), Kira & Chase and Nicole.

And her great grandchildren – Shayla & Ryelan, Nathaniel, Jordan & Isabelle, Aries, Olivia, Joanna, Theodore & Oliver + a baby girl arriving this summer.

There will be a Celebration of Life held March 28th, 2026 - 1 to 4 pm at Henderson’s Funeral Home, 45901 Victoria Avenue in Chilliwack.

RSVP to [email protected]

In lieu of flowers, donations to the BC Cancer Foundation at https://www.bccancer.bc.ca/donate