Constance Johnson of Old Lyme CT and Worcester, MA, widow of J. Myron Johnson, PhD died on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at the age of 88 from complications after a fall. She was born in 1927 in Worcester, MA, the daughter of the late Alice R, and A. Gerry Blodgett and sister of the late Norman S. Blodgett of Worcester. Connie attended Worcester Public Schools and graduated from North High in 1945. She received a BA from the Pembroke College of Brown University in Art History in 1949. She married Myron, a high school classmate, in 1950 and they were married for 61 years. Wanting to have twelve children, like the Gilbreths in “Cheaper by the Dozen”, she settled for 8. The family started out in Haledon, NJ, moving to Butler, NJ and ultimately to Darien, CT where she raised her children and stayed for 30 years. She was the ultimate mother, listening to the same children’s jokes 8 times, changing and washing thousands of diapers, laundry loads, food shopping trips, emergency room visits, and yet she still managed to remember each child’s favorite food, dessert, game, novel and sport and had the time to correct their grammar and spelling. She was proud that all eight graduated from college and finally moved on and gave her grandchildren to spoil. There was never a baby that she didn’t love. In Darien, she volunteered in the school library, joined the Daughter’s of the American Revolution and volunteered with Meals on Wheels. She took in her severely mentally handicapped brother-in-law, elderly mother-in-law and own mother. In 1986, she along with Myron and her elderly mother, retired to Old Lyme. There she volunteered with the Prison Ministry and was an active volunteer at Christ the King Church. She was involved in a local monthly book-reading club. She was able to dabble in artwork which was always a hobby for her as well as working on her New York Times crossword puzzles, which she could do effortlessly in ink. Connie and Myron loved to travel, and over the years they visited all 50 US states, all 10 Canadian provinces and all of the European countries of their ancestors. With a church group, Connie also visited Italy and Israel. She enjoyed watching UConn women’s basketball games and was a faithful Boston Red Sox fan. Once Connie and Myron’s health began to fail, they moved in with their daughter, Donna, in Sturbridge, MA. Eventually, they both moved into Notre Dame du Lac Assisted living in Worcester, where Myron passed away in 2011. Connie was a happy resident at Notre Dame, always smiling and complimenting the staff, and they in turn enjoyed her pleasant personality and having her entrusted to their professional care.
She is survived by her eight children, Dr. Kathryn L. Johnson (Thomas Scanlon) of Niantic, CT, Peter M. Johnson (Julie) of Hopewell, NJ, Donna J. St. Germaine (Paul) of Sturbridge, MA, Daniel P Johnson of Milford CT, Amy J. Wyland ( Cliff ) of Bend, OR, Linda J. Cianci (Angelo) of Wayne, NJ, Eric T. Johnson (Kim) of Charlestown, NH, Christian A. Johnson (Gretchen) of Needham, MA, and 18 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.
Calling hours will be held on Monday morning, January 11th , at 9:30 am at Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, 13 Beckwith Lane, Old Lyme, CT. Please visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com for photos, tributes, directions, and more service information. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any memorial contributions be made in her name to Notre Dame du Lac, 555 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01605.
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