Betty Lou Ferguson Johnson

Quiet, reserved and logical are trademark qualities that friends and family might use to describe Betty Lou Johnson. Betty was an intuitive person. She was the type of person who could comfortably get lost in her thoughts, someone who had tremendous problem solving abilities. Always conscientious and focused on details, Betty was a person who loved to imagine the possibilities of life.

      Betty was born on June 20, 1943 at Madonna Hospital in Denison, Texas. She was the daughter of Luther Ernest and Beverly Cordell Ferguson. She was raised in Denison, Texas. Betty did not have to surround herself with people to be content. She was the type of person who enjoyed being alone rather than be part of a large crowd. She could be content for hours in some activity or be lost in her own imagination.

      Betty was adaptable and had good listening skills which she would use to her advantage when it came to family life. She grew up with one sibling. She had one sister, Faye Ferguson Redmon. She rarely shied away from family discussions. She would debate with her siblings but if it turned into an argument, Betty would often turn it into an agreement. In general, the family got along well and shared many memorable experiences.

      In grade school, Betty gravitated toward others who shared similar interests and enjoyed academics more than physical activity. She was always curious about what made things work, and she would excel at the things that called more for "brain" power. She was a Bluebird. She delighted in the projects that required planning, exploration and solution. Betty's memorable achievements included. As was evident by those who knew her, her most fun was to be found in books and in research.

      During high school, Betty excelled at the challenge of learning and was especially good at taking tests and exams. She could delight more in problem solving than in the more routine school work. As long as the intellectual challenges kept coming, Betty was happy. She graduated from Denison High School in 1961. Her favorite class in high school was English.

      Although Betty had a small group of friends, they were a close knit group and she enjoyed spending time with them. She liked to be able to engage them in discussions on the many topics she found interesting. Those who knew her well might describe Betty as a good listener who could bring out a type of understanding from those around her that even surprised them. She was passionate in her commitments and would never intentionally hurt anyone. While growing up, some of her best friends were Paulla Bonnell. Later in life, she became friends with Paulla Bonnell, Betty Mueller and Sharon Brooks.

       Betty married Calvin Roy Johnson July 12, 1985 in Denison, Texas. Calvin was influential in Betty's life and brought a dimension of emotion and feelings to a woman who mostly lived in her intellect. Betty grew, blossomed and became more balanced because of their love and compassion.

      Betty was a hard worker and a good provider who loved her family even though she wasn’t very demonstrative. Betty was blessed with three children, one son, Ron Perkins, two daughters, Leigh Grissom and Kathy Ritchie. They were also blessed with four grandchildren, Kelly, Stephanie, Phoebe and Jessica. Betty's sense of fun was often unleashed in her puns and witty, intelligent quips. It delighted her when the children and grandchildren would banter back and forth with her in this brainy exchange of mind contests. The children always knew how much Betty loved them.

      Finding the right type of job can be a challenge for anyone, but that was especially true for Betty Lou Johnson. She needed to find a career that would challenge her. Fortunately, she found a career path where she could use her natural intellect and her natural critical thinking skills. Her primary occupation was bank teller. She was employed for three years at American Bank of Texas. Betty was a dedicated and valued employee and was respected by her colleagues for her ability to grasp and understand difficult concepts.

      Hobbies were more than fun for Betty because she challenged herself to learn the theory behind the actual activity. Knowing how things worked was more incentive than just performing and completing the task. Her favorite pursuits were reading, embroidery and photography.

      Friends and acquaintances usually viewed Betty as the brains behind the operation and using this talent, she contributed a great deal to the many organizations to which she belonged. Her own ability to adapt actually helped those around her to come up with creative approaches to a variety of situations. Betty worked hard once she became committed to a goal, and she was a strong contributor whenever it came to the planning process. Throughout her later years, Betty was an active member of the Vietnam Veterans of America (Spouse). She became a valued and a contributing member of each volunteer organization.

      Betty's strong sense of faith helped her remain focused on the needs and concerns of others. These values brought her strength and helped to reinforce the importance of both her faith and the practice of her religion. She was a member Raynal Tabernacle for ten years.

      Travel was a luxury for Betty and something that she took great pleasure in doing. Betty was at her best in the planning stages, as she did research and learned all about the places that she would be visiting. She wasn't as fond of dealing with the actual organizing, but once she put together all of the information, she was more than happy to turn it all over to someone else and let them put together the itinerary. Favorite vacations included New Orleans, Louisiana and Scottsdale, Arizona.

      Betty especially enjoyed time with her pets. She could spend hours in private thought, and her faithful companions would just sit by her side or in her lap. One of Betty's favorites was Froot Loop, a terrier My Dog and Dolly, chihuahua dog. They were best friends for 12 years (Froot Loop) and 2 years (Dolly).

      Betty planned well for retirement so when it finally arrived in 2004, she was well prepared. She worked out many of the details in advance so that she could enjoy the time and not have to worry. Her new life involved staying home in Denison, texas.

      Betty Lou Johnson passed away on June 2, 2016 at at home in Denison, Texas surrounded by family. Betty faced pancreatic cancer with grace and humor. She is survived by her husband Calvin Johnson; her children - Ron, Leigh and Kathy; 4 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren with #15 on the way and Dolly, the chihuahua. Services were held at Bratcher Funeral Home Chapel, Denison, Texas. Betty was laid to rest in Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman, Texas.

       Those who knew and loved Betty will miss her quiet gentleness, her curiosity and her ability to often turn work situations into fun experiences. She leaves all those who knew her with many wonderful memories.

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“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” Isaiah 40:31

Betty Lou Ferguson Johnson went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, June 2, 2016. She was born in Denison on June 20, 1943, to Luther Ernest and Beverly Cordell Ferguson. She attended Denison schools and graduated with the class of 1961.

She married Calvin Roy Johnson on July 12, 1985. They went into business together as the owners of the Appliance Doctor in Sherman, Texas. After Calvin retired, Betty worked at American Bank of Texas until she retired in 2004.

She is survived by her three children: Ron Perkins and wife Jeri of Crowley, Texas, Kathy Ritchie husband Robert of Sherman, and Leigh Grissom and husband Doug Jr. of Sherman, four grandchildren, Kelly Bozeman of Arlington, Texas, Stephanie Bagley of The Colony, Texas, Phoebe Seber of Denison, and Jessica House of Denison, 14 great grandchildren with one on the way, and Dolly the Chihuahua.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Faye Ferguson Redmon, and her grandson, Jeremy Perkins.

The family will be at Bratcher Funeral Home for visitation on Monday, June 6, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The funeral service will be at Bratcher Funeral Home Chapel on Tuesday, June 7, at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Doug Grissom, Sr. officiating. Burial will follow at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman.