Johnna Faye Templeton died peacefully in her sleep on February 1, 2020.
She was born in Centralia, Illinois on April 10, 1940, the eldest of three daughters of Delores and John Dixon.
Johnna is sorely missed and fondly remembered by friends and family as vivacious, outgoing and hard-headed. She was the kind of person who never met a stranger and who never missed a chance to share her love and support. Her strength, energy and love of life set a very high bar and continue to serve as models for those who knew her.
She recognized through almost 40 years of personal experience – including two triple bypass surgeries, cardiac stents, a mechanical mitral valve replacement, and congestive heart failure -- the lack of resources specifically for women with heart disease. She earned the nickname “Five Feet of Tenacity” while working with Poudre Valley Health and UC Health to get the word out to the more than one in three female adults who have some form of cardiovascular disease. Johnna worked tirelessly with the American Heart Association, including as Founder and President of Mended Hearts of Gillette, Wyoming. After surviving a 15-hour valve replacement surgery and five weeks on a ventilator in the Cardiac ICU at Medical Center of the Rockies, Johnna went on to provide her unique brand of comfort and support to other patients and their families as a volunteer in the Cardiac Unit at MCR for the following 5 years.
Johnna leaves behind her beloved husband Paul, sisters Marti and Mandy, daughter Stephanie, sons Tom and Brian, grandchildren Matt, Jami, Elizabeth, Katherine, Sydney, Savannah, and Ann Marie, and great granddaughter Katherine. Johnna was predeceased by her son Greg.
Memorials in Johnna’s name are suggested to benefit UC Health Northern Colorado Foundation, Cardiovascular Care Designation
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