Maryann Watson Johnson

Maryann Watson Johnson, 68, a resident of Pasadena, TX, passed away Monday, April 20, 2026, from complications of multiple strokes, surrounded by family at her home. She was born October 5, 1957, in Tampa, FL to Joseph Sr. and Maryalice Watson. She competed in synchronized swimming and the high dive in high school. Her education in child psychology and physical therapy came from BYU. She received an honorary culinary degree from BOCES in Rochester, NY. A passionate culinary expert, she prepared meals for groups of all sizes. She fed missionaries at the Palmyra, NY, Hill Cumorah Pageant for eight years. She enjoyed feeding international guests in her home using their native cuisine. She built an international culinary library with more than 400 volumes. She was a skilled baker and cake decorator, creating numerous wedding and birthday cakes. Maryann was a talented photographer with a love for landscapes. She built a broad portfolio of individual and group portraits. She was an avid seamstress, skilled in quilting and dressmaking. Her crowning achievement was prom dresses for her daughters and friends. She loved studying languages, focusing on Spanish, Mandarin, and Hebrew. She was caring, generous, and charitable to a fault, dropping everything at a moment's notice to be of service. She helped all those around her without hesitation, or regard to how well she knew them. A disciple of Jesus Christ, she stood ready and willing to bear her testimony of the Savior and His Gospel. At church, she served in the Stake Primary Presidency, Ward Relief Society Presidency, and as a teacher in the Primary, Gospel Essentials, Relief Society, and Sunday School. Maryann was a missionary mom to every missionary she met. She found great joy in staying at home with her children and was heavily involved in all family activities. She volunteered at nearly every school her children attended, from pre-k through university. She used her culinary skills to help them prepare accurate dishes as part of their world culture studies. She was also a proponent of diversity as she created and championed “We are not so different” week. This started at one of her children’s elementary schools and has now spread across the entire Pacific Northwest.

Maryann was preceded in death by her father Joseph Levi Watson Sr., her mother, Maryalice Sbarbaro Watson, her brother John Dwight Watson, and her granddaughter Avalyn Marie Walde. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Louis Johnson, her children James Johnson Sr. (Jennifer), Jeffery Johnson (Rachel), Jennifer Walde (Cody), Jeanne Mann (Richard III), Joel Johnson, and Jason Johnson, her grandchildren Alina, James Jr., Addie, Avery, Jacob, Cora, and Richard IV, and by her siblings, Joseph Watson Jr. and Gina Watson-Haley.

Visitation will be held Saturday, May 9th at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 4202 Yellowstone Dr, Pasadena, TX, 77504 at 10:00AM with a Celebration of Maryann's life beginning at 10:30AM. She will be laid to rest at Grand View Memorial Park at 1:30PM.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations via Venmo @Jeanne-Mann-3 to help defray Maryann’s medical expenses.