Doris Elaine Johnson

Doris Elaine Johnson passed away peacefully on September 14, 2025 in Suwanee, Georgia at the age of 92. She was born on August 25, 1933, at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL. The younger child of Elaine (Freed) Stonesifer Johnson and Stanley Henry Johnson, Doris was sister to Robert Stanley Johnson. She graduated as a 4-year Honor Student from Oak Park High School in 1951, and in 1955 from Lawrence College of Appleton, Wisconsin, majoring in Languages and minoring in Architecture. She also took post-graduate courses in Education, Interior Design and Finance at the Chicago branches of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University in the 1960’s and 70’s. Shortly after moving from her Oak Park apartment to a townhouse condominium in Brandywine (Villa Park, IL), Doris studied Real Estate courses in the early 1970’s and sold residential real estate as a part-time occupation with Webster Realty from 1975 to 1980. In 1985, she graduated from Lewis University, Romeoville, IL, with an MBA in Finance.

Doris first worked as a secretary in downtown Chicago for 7 years for Ernest Klein Public Relations, leaving in 1962 to work at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, first as Assistant to Design Partner Bruce Graham, then to Jack Train, an Associate Partner. In 1966, she left with Jack Train to work first at the A/E firm of Metz Train Olson & Youngren, and then at Jack Train Associates. In 1986, after completing her MBA, she affiliated with Hinsdale Financial Group as a Financial Planner. In 2000, the agency consolidated with two other branches of The MONY Group, moved to Oak Brook, IL, where in 2005 it was purchased by AXA Financial. She retired from AXA on May 31, 2008 at age 74.

Although she never married, Doris was an active member of The First Presbyterian Church of Oak Park and was Social Chairman of its rapidly growing Young Adult Group. After leaving Oak Park, she became a member of Elmhurst Presbyterian Church. She was also active in many sports as a member of the Oak Park Ski Club, Oak Park Tennis Club, West Side Racquet Club, and Oak Brook Bath & Tennis Club. She loved to travel and took ski vacations at Boyne Mt., Aspen, Vail, Sun Valley, Taos, NM, Garmisch, Germany and Innsbruck, Switzerland. She also vacationed in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Italy, Austria, Spain, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, The Seychelles, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Ecuador, The Galapagos, China, Tibet, Hong Kong, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, Soweto, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, as well as in Alaska and all but three states in the US.

Doris was a beloved daughter, sister and aunt, known for her zest for life and love of people and animals. In 2019, she moved from the Chicago area so she could spend more time with her family in Alpharetta, Georgia. She will be deeply missed by her nieces, Jeanne Johnson and Louise Meeker (Steve), great-nephew Jack Meeker (Charlotte) and great-niece Samantha Allsbrook (Boyd), her extended family and her friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Stanley and Elaine Johnson, her brother Robert Johnson and his wife, Elva Johnson.

A celebration of life service will be held at Elmhurst Presbyterian Church, 367 Spring Rd, Elmhurst, IL at 11:00 on November 7. To honor Dorie’s lifelong love of animals, the family requests donations in her honor to World Wildlife Fund in lieu of flowers.