Marilyn Beatrice Johnson

Marilyn B. Artley was born February 3, 1921 to Frank and Ferol Artley on the family farm near Keyes, in Cimarron County, Oklahoma. She was the first of five children born to Frank and Ferol; Marilyn, twins Dan and Dorothy, Marietta and Jenny. Marilyn’s parents homesteaded the farm and were hard working, loving people. Frank spent time in Canada prior to joining the service during World War I. Ferol was a school teacher prior to their marriage in 1920. Frank and Ferol owned two adjoining homesteads prior to meeting and marrying. Marilyn and her siblings attended a one-room school located about four miles from the family farm. Marilyn had vivid memories of riding her horse to school. When school bus service was introduced, her father had an issue with the school board because the bus picked his children up first stop in the morning and dropped them off last stop in the afternoon. Frank Artley told the school board his kids had chores to do, same as other kids, and if the route couldn’t be changed to first-on/first-off or last-on/last-off they would not ride the bus. The bus schedule was changed (she didn’t remember if it was first or last). Marilyn lived through the dust bowl and depression era of the 1930’s. The family farm was about 13 miles east of Boise City, where iconic dust bowl photos were taken by Arthur Rothstein on Black Sunday (April 14, 1935). Artley Farm was near the epicenter of the worst of the dust bowl. Marilyn remembered waking up in the mornings and the only clean spot on her pillow was where her head was laying. Marilyn graduated high school and attended business college. There were no high schools in Cimarron County, Oklahoma in the 1930’s. Marilyn moved to Rocky Ford, Colorado and lived with her grandmother and aunt while attending Rocky Ford High School (Class of 1939). She really enjoyed high school! After high school, Marilyn moved to Pueblo, Colorado to attend business college. Marilyn met the love of her life in Pueblo, Colorado in 1943. Robert E. Johnson was a lanky 6’7’’ Texas native, the son of a Methodist minister, and three years her junior. Both Bob and Marilyn were employed at the CF&I steel mill in Pueblo when they met (through a mutual friend). They were married on September 7, 1943. Bob joined the army in 1943. He served with the 69th Division in the Battle of the Bulge, returning home uninjured after the war in 1945. After World War II, Marilyn’s father was killed by a drunk driver in 1945. Her mother and youngest sister were injured in the wreck. Bob worked at many different jobs and they moved several times to various locations in Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. His jobs included truck driver, bus driver, salesman, uranium mine owner/partner, and service station owner. Their son, Robert A. Johnson was born in Pueblo, Colorado in February of 1948. Their son, Steven W. Johnson was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico in February of 1954 and son, David E. Johnson was born in Grand Junction, Colorado in May of 1957. Grand Junction became a true home for the Johnson’s. Bob became a partner/owner in a uranium mine in the Henry Mountains of Utah in 1954 while living in Albuquerque. He moved the family in with his mother in Pueblo while getting operations going at the mine. The family moved to Grand Junction in the summer of 1955 so they could be closer to the mine, yet in a city of reasonable size. Bob and his partners sold the mine in 1956 and Bob bought a Sinclair service station. After helping the Grand Junction Police on a couple of cases, it was suggested he join the Police Department, which he did in May of 1957- a busy month as David was born plus Bob and Marilyn bought a home on Hall Avenue. For much needed additional income, Marilyn became the owner of Warning Lites of Grand Junction, a temporary traffic control and safety company) in 1961. She was a woman entrepreneur before that became fashionable. In 1962, Bob and Marilyn sold their home on Hall Avenue and bought a larger home two blocks away at 1001 Texas Avenue. Bob was promoted to Detective lieutenant on the Grand Junction Police Department and held that position until his untimely death on December 22, 1965- just six weeks shy of his 42nd birthday. Marilyn and her sons continued to run the family business until September of 1987. Marilyn was an active member of the Church of Christ in Grand Junction from 1955 until failing sight and mobility issues kept her from attending services sometime in 2011 or 2012. Marilyn was a member of the TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) group and was very proud of obtaining and keeping KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) status for 20+ years. Marilyn was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1967. Watching her weight was a big factor in keeping the MS in remission. Marilyn was a volunteer candy striper at Community Hospital for many years. She was a resident at Atrium of the Grand Valley from 2001 to 2015. She enjoyed her many friends at the Atrium and volunteered with the activities director as long as she was physically able. Marilyn lived with her grandson Bill Johnson and his family from December 2015 until her passing. Her granddaughter-in-law, Diana, was her primary care giver during this time. Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Ferol Artley; her brother, Dan Artley; sisters, Dorothy Vinson, Marietta Artley, and Jenny Duncan; husband of 22 years, Robert E. Johnson; and step-grandson, Danny Johnson. She is survived by her sons, Robert A. Johnson (Sandy) of Eckert, Colorado, Steven W. Johnson (Marilyn) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and David E. Johnson of Fruita, Colorado; one grandson, five granddaughters, four great-grandsons, two great-granddaughters, and numerous nieces and nephews. Marilyn passed away peacefully on July 15, 2017.

Arrangements under the direction of Martin Mortuary, Grand Junction, CO.