Cheryl Rae Johnson

Cheryl Rae Coffin Johnson died March 17, 2022. We all lost an angel. Cheryl was born in Boston August 20, 1947 to Tristram and Marvel Coffin. The family soon moved to Cleveland, where brother Mark was born. The next move was to Amarillo, where her father was director of the Better Business Bureau and where Cheryl grew up. She attended Amarillo High School and St Andrews Episcopal Church, where she began her long love of choral music. Cheryl graduated from Amarillo High School in 1965 and attended Amarillo College (AA Psychology 1967) and then the University of Texas, where she graduated with a BA in Sociology (Social Welfare Services) in 1969. Her first position was as a state Child Welfare Caseworker in Dallas. Not long after, she met and married John, her husband for the next 51 plus years. In 1972, they moved to Seattle, where Cheryl earned her MSW while John was completing postdoctoral research training, both at the University of Washington. Their three exhilarating years in Seattle were made even happier by the birth of their first daughter, Julia, in 1975. That year, Cheryl and John migrated to San Antonio, where John started a faculty position at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Their daughter Sarah brought them great joy, beginning with her birth in 1979. The ensuing years had focus on raising their children, but included volunteer and part time work in social work. Cheryl rejoined her social work career when she joined the Bexar County Hospital District and University Hospital in 1991, ultimately having assignment to the Pediatrics floor. It was in this venue that her qualities of patience, quiet listening, empathy and professionalism flowered. Cheryl provided superb services and counseling to a stream of kids and their families over her time at University Hospital. Cheryl was an active member of St Francis Episcopal Church for many years, belonging to the altar guild and choir, as well as contributing her time and talents to womens retreats, rummage sales and bake sales. Her community service included Stephens Ministry, the Shavano Park Womens Club and a full member of the Shavano Park Volunteer Fire Department. In none of these activities did she draw attention to herself. A passion, next to family, was quilting. This was an activity that she absolutely loved. She put together these works of art for hospitalized children, as well as her grandchildren, friends and church. This included contributing to the large quilt celebrating the 1983 Folklife Festival at the Institute of Texan Cultures. Her natural habitat became the sewing room and her activities included quilt bees and any other activity involving quilting, including an annual pilgrimage to Houston for the International Quilt Show. Her passion was greater for family. She cared for her father in her home for the last years of his life and made nearly daily visits to her mother-in-law at her nursing home. For the last few years, Cheryl had multiple health issues, their combination leading ultimately to her death. She dealt with these challenges with the uncomplaining patience and quiet resolution that were characteristic of her life. Cheryl is survived by her husband John, daughter Julia and husband Scott Davis, daughter Sarah and husband Quentin Russell, granddaughter Charlotte Davis and grandsons Mark and Luke Russell. She was predeceased by her parents Tristram and Marvel Coffin and her brother Mark Coffin.

Services are to be held at St Francis Episcopal Church, 4242 Bluemel, San Antonio, at 2pm Sunday April 3. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations in her memory be made in support of the St Francis choir.