Kasondra Kay Johnston

Kasondra Kay Johnston, 65 died on Thursday, January 22, 2015 under hospice care at her home in Falls Church, Virginia.. She was born on January 5, 1950, in Coldwater, Michigan, to Rex D. and Marian L. Ball.

When she was 15 her family moved from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Whittier, California where she graduated from La Serna HS in 1968. Kasondra moved with her mother and sister to Long Beach, CA in 1970 where she attended Long Beach City College and met her husband Steven Johnston. They were married on January 21, 1972. After moving from Canoga Park, CA to Silver Spring, MD in 1979, Kasondra obtained a BS in Information Systems in 1980 from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an MA in Transportation Policy from George Mason University in 2004. She and her husband enjoyed outdoor activities including camping, fishing, backpacking, sailing, skiing, and golf as well as loving movies, reading, traveling, and playing bridge.

During the 1970’s, Kasondra worked for Department of the Army and US Geological Survey as an accounting assistant. After graduating from the University of MD in1980, she worked at the Institute for Defense Analysis in Arlington, Virginia, doing accounting systems software development. In 1981 Kas and Steve moved to Lake Barcroft in Falls Church where their children, Stefanie (1984) and Edward (1986) were born. Kasondra became an independent Business Systems Developer in 1985 in order to spend more time with her children. She then obtained her Realtor’s License and worked at Long & Foster in Falls Church, changing to RE/MAX in 1990. In 1992, the family moved to their current home in Falls Church City. Kasondra obtained her Real Estate Broker’s License and in 1996, she and Steve purchased the RE/MAX Franchise in Falls Church. They sold their Franchise in 1999 and Kasondra worked at the Virginia Department of Transportation as a Realty Specialist and Project Manager until 2004, then as a Senior Urban Planner and Principal Realty Specialist at the Washington Metro Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) until the onset of cancer in January 2014.

From 1993 through 2002 Kasondra was a volunteer for the High Point Pool Swim Team Boosters Association and also served as a Volunteer Board Member. As a parent volunteer, she helped conduct Northern Virginia Swim League evening and Saturday swim meets. Kasondra was involved extensively from 1992 to 2005 in the Falls Church City Public School System as a parent volunteer and member of PTA groups in elementary, middle & high schools. She helped with fundraising activities, was parent chaperone for numerous school field trips & events, and assisted the high school competition theatre group at district, regional & state theatre competitions. From 2000 to 2012 Kasondra supported her husband with Falls Church Lions Club fundraising activities.

After having artistic training at universities in California during the 1970’s, Kasondra rekindled her passion for art in 2008, studying with a number of professional artists represented in the Phillips Collection, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Art League of Virginia at the Torpedo Factory, Alexandria and the Art League and Camp Retreat at Nimrod Hall. She was a member of The Art League, Falls Church Arts, and had exhibited and sold her paintings at the Art League of Virginia Torpedo Factory, Art at the Mill, Millwood, VA, and the American Juried Art Salon.

Kasondra is survived by her husband, Steven; two children: Stefanie and Edward, both of Falls Church, and a sister Marsha Reynolds, of Virginia Beach. She was preceded in death by both parents. A Celebration of Life and Memorial service will be held on Friday, January 30, 2015 at 2:00 PM.

The body has been cremated and burial of cremains will be in the Lebanon, Iowa Cemetery at a later date.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made directly to Capital Caring Hospice (http://www.capitalcaring.org/), Art at the Mill - Clarke County Historical Association (http://www.clarkehistory.org/art-at-the-mill.html), The National Brain Tumor Society (http://braintumor.org/advance-research/), Falls Church Lions Charities (http://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/fallschurch/), or mailed to the family at 508 Meridian St, Falls Church, VA 22046.