Mary Johnson was born on December 5, 1933, in Seattle, WA, to her immigrant parents, Emma Karlotte and Axel Peterson. Mary was especially close to her mother, Emma who, as a young lady, had left home, Kirkefjorden, a small family village located in the Lofoten Islands, Arctic Norway. She grew up in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle, a tight-knit neighborhood close to her Norwegian relatives and friends. In 1952 she graduated from Seattle’s Lincoln High School and soon began work at the former National Bank of Commerce. Her slender frame and good looks also led to modeling on advertising materials for local companies.
Mary wed Michael O’Brien in 1955 and later married Bruce Johnson in 1965. She had four children: Scott, Jeffery, Matthew, and Lisa. Along with her husband Bruce Johnson, Mary moved to Rice, Washington, in the early 1970s. She and Bruce operated a small farm and other businesses. The move was a formative and life-changing experience for Mary, who always considered herself a city girl. In her husband’s absences, while he traveled working as a merchant marine, Mary ran the farm with the help of her children and cared for her mother-in-law, Kathleen Johnson. Mary grew the family’s produce, milked cows, raised chickens, cattle and pigs, and sold eggs, rode motorcycles to keep up with her boys, and proudly supported her daughter Lisa’s horsemanship activities. Life on the farm was not always easy, but Mary happily reflected on escapades with mis-behaving livestock, coffee with neighbors, canning peaches with Kathleen, growing her extensive flower and vegetable gardens (too much squash in the opinion of her boys), and enjoying the chaos of a house full of kids and their friends.
In midlife, Mary moved to Yakima, newly single and ready to learn new skills for modern office work. With the help of her brother, Fredrick, she relocated to a charming house on the hillside overlooking the valley. In 1989, and after receiving vocational training, she began work with the Yakima County Courts where she flourished. Working as a district court clerk was one of the highpoints of her life and she had much to be proud of. Mary was bright, learned fast, and was soon assigned increasing responsibilities, including working on appeals and the criminal dockets. She made many friends and spoke fondly of her coworkers and times at the court. She loved working with the judges, police officers, and attorneys who appeared in court and relished in her role as a wrangler of that unruly lot, she would jokingly reflect. Her work gave her a sense of accomplishment and joy that never left her.
After 18 years of service, Mary retired from the district court and dedicated her time to gardening and spending time with her family and friends. She had dear relationships with many, including close friends and unofficial “kids” Donie and Kris McLeod and their children. Mary was a custodian of family history and documents, providing intricate details of what and when events took place. She gardened for pleasure and became more expert at growing roses. When she became a grandmother, she delighted in seeing her grandchildren playing in and around the rose gardens while her sons rode dirt bikes out back of the house. Her son, Matthew, sought her counsel on cooking and growing all sorts of plants—most recently a cactus from the Nevada desert--and Jeffery grudgingly took guidance on the proper watering schedule for the landscape in his yard.
Mary is survived by her three sons, Scott O’Brien, Jeffery Johnson, and Matthew Johnson; her daughter Lisa Riggs; her brother, Fredrick Peterson; nephews Pete Weaver and Eric Peterson; and nieces Vivian and Britta Peterson and Carin Kruger. Mary also took great pride and joy in being a grandparent to Sean O’Brien, Kyle Johnson, Caitlin O’Brien (Pallasigui), and Erika Johnson, and to great grandparent to Kiara Pallasigui, all of who survive her. She is preceded in death by her much-loved brother, Raymond Peterson, and her nephews Paul Peterson and Chris Peterson.
Mary will be buried at the Floral Hills Cemetery in Lynnwood Washington. A memorial will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 22, at Purdy and Walters at Floral Hills. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mary’s life. Anyone wishing to sit with Mary and have time for quiet reflection may do so at the funeral home between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
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