Sarah Patterson Johnson

COLUMBIA - Sarah Patterson Johnson passed away on February 20, 2017. A celebration of Sarah’s life will be held on Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Dunbar Funeral Home Northeast Chapel, 4219 Hard Scrabble Rd in Columbia, SC. She was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1921. She was a loving wife and mother. She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Irwin Johnson, and is survived by two daughters, Betty Martin and Judie Kraft, a son Irwin (Skip) Johnson and daughter-in-law Claudia, two treasured grandchildren, Rachel Murphy (and her husband Quinn Murphy) and Zac Johnson, and her beloved great-granddaughter Marley Murphy. She enjoyed a long and wonderful life even after a tough start. She was born the middle of 9 children at the beginning of the Great Depression and lost her mother at an early age. Her father struggled to raise all these kids and as a result she and some of her siblings spent time in John de la Howe School when it was an orphanage. Her early years forged her character and she was a sterling example of a Steel Magnolia. As life went on her fortunes dramatically improved. She met Irwin, the love of her life, on a blind date while he was stationed at Camp Croft for training. They married and moved to California where their first child, Betty, was born. Sarah’s brothers Fred, Paul, Ralph, and Ernest, along with her husband all went off to various theaters of war in World War II and all returned alive. She and Irwin settled in Chicago after the war where Judie and Skip were born. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining and excelled at both. During that time, she won a trip for two to London and Paris from Jewel Grocery store during which they were treated royally. One of the most treasured memories of her life, this chance to treat her husband to a once-in-a-lifetime trip meant the world to her and lived in her memory always. While living in Tinley Park, Sarah was very involved in many organizations including helping found the public library, serving as President of the PTA, and volunteering at the Methodist Church. They moved to northern Virginia in 1969 (some attribute the Cubs swoon during that season to the Johnson family departure) and lived there until Irwin retired in 1980. She continued her volunteer work, working for Recording for the Blind and The Treasure Trove, a re-sale shop that was a source of money to a local hospital and many quirky presents to family members for many years. She was also active in local politics during this time. They enjoyed many years of golf, travel, friends, and family during retirement at Skidaway Island near Savannah. Their long-awaited grandchildren arrived in 1986 and 1989 and were celebrated and cherished. Declining health led them to relocate to Columbia in 2007. They enjoyed being close to their grandchildren and grew even closer to Claudia, who fussed over them and lovingly cared for both until their passing. Sarah resided at Wildewood Downs and most recently The Crossings. She lived long enough to see her beloved, beleaguered Chicago Cubs win the World Series.