Bertha Ellen Johnson

Bertha (Birdie) Ellen Schwitters Johnson, Birdie was born to Henry and Dena Schwitters on May 22, 1916 in Clara City, Minnesota. She stepped into Glory on March 24, 2018 in Beavercreek, Ohio. Birdie moved at an early age from Clara City to Steamboat Rock, Iowa where her father was a carpenter by trade. She remained in Steamboat Rock until her marriage to Louis Richard Johnson on August 18, 1939. She and Louis met at First Baptist Church of Steamboat Rock. She left with Louis to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where she graduated August 1, 1940. Birdie pursued learning throughout her life and was an avid reader until her eyesight began to fail making it difficult to even read large print. She and Louis spent their entire lives dedicated to the Lord’s service. They began their pastoral ministry at First Baptist Church, Baileyville, IL. Other churches they served are First Baptist Church, Steamboat Rock, IA; Eastside Baptist Church, Chicago, IL; Central Baptist Church, Waco, TX; Immanuel Baptist Church, Kankakee, IL; and North Highlands Baptist Church, Dallas, TX. They ended their pastoral ministries at Willow Rancho Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA. From Sacramento they went as missionaries to Cameroon, West Africa where they served from 1969-1973 at the Baptist Training Center, a college for the preparation of pastors. From 1974-1981 they served at the North American Baptist College in Edmonton, AL, Canada. Following their retirement in 1981, she and Louis moved to the Evergreen Retirement Community in White Rock, BC, Canada. Birdie was actively involved in the choir and led Hymn Sing on Sunday evenings. After Louis’s death in 1987, Birdie remained in Canada until moving to Sacramento, CA in the 1990’s. She moved to Beavercreek, OH in 2006. Birdie is survived by her son Vaughn (wife Eileen); daughter Victoria (husband Bill) Oliver; two grandsons, Richard and Chris (wife Stacey) Johnson; and two granddaughters, CariAnn (husband James) Statser and Kimberly (husband Alan) Dees. She also has five great-grandchildren: Maisie and Turner Johnson, Allison and Oliver Dees, and Kailee Statser. She also has one surviving sister, Faye Anderson (husband Bob). Birdie was preceded in death by her husband Louis, brothers Alvin, Paul, David and Daniel Schwitters, and one sister, Rudy Pistocco. Funeral services will be held in Beavercreek, Ohio at the First Baptist Church of Kettering, 3939 Swigart Rd. on Monday, April 2. The viewing will be 10-12 AM with the service following.