Clarene Viola Johnson

Clarene was born on July 17, 1935, in Sacramento, California. Growing up in North Sacramento and then on a farm in Pleasant Grove, and the oldest of five children, she learned at a young age to care for and be responsible to others. This was a common thread throughout her life.

Upon graduation from high school, Clarene attended Pacific Lutheran College (University) in Tacoma, WA. She sang in The Choir of the West and graduated in 1956 with a degree in Education and Fine Arts. At PLU she met her first husband, Robert Olson. They were married on August 21, 1955 and had six children: Mark, Marianne, David and Brian (twins), Paul and Knut. She is survived by all except Mark and Brian.

Clarene and Bob raised their family in Livermore, California. By 1962 they were raising four children and her life was full of homemaking, teaching elementary school, and leading music and education programs at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. One of the most organized people you could know, her skills for hospitality were unmatched, becoming one of her most enduring hallmarks. At least one person has quipped since her passing that “she is probably already reorganizing heaven.”

She was a fierce champion of all children and believed that no child should be overlooked. She saw quality early childhood education as one of the best investments society could make for it’s future. As a result, in 1975 she and Judy Bortz (Allen) founded and developed Holy Cross Lutheran School. Based on the principles that they established the school continues to thrive.

In 1981, Clarene married Allen Johnson, a dear friend from church. They beautifully complemented and supported one another until his death in January 2014. Allen was her biggest champion. With his encouragement and her never ending commitment to children, Clarene earned her master’s degree in early childhood education and began teaching human growth and development at Las Positas Community College in Livermore, CA. Allen loved to greet her the days she taught by saying, “I think we should take the Professor out for dinner after a hard day’s work in the classroom.” She also served on the county commission for early childhood education and ran a city program to help young people get their first job out of school. She was always ready to give a hand up.

Upon retirement she, and Allen, moved again from California back to Lakewood, WA to be near her beloved PLU and her youngest child. She continued her passion for children and youth by working with education programs at her church, Christ Lutheran, and students at PLU. She was a dedicated “Lute” for life, serving for many years as her Class Representative. Being back in Tacoma began a whole new level of involvement and volunteering at and around PLU, including being an active Board member of the Scandinavian Cultural Center and PLU volunteer extraordinaire! Clarene cherished and nurtured her Norwegian heritage and was a dedicated “Daughter of Norway.” Her several trips to Norway to see the homeland and visit relatives were among the highlights of her life. She also loved her garden, being “Beste” (short for Bestemor which is grandmother in Norwegian) to many, and looked forward to hosting her PLU classmates, her Bible study group, and others at her home in Lakewood, WA. A lifelong Republican, she was also active for several years with the Lakewood Republican Women.

Clarene is survived in death by three sisters, a brother, four children, a stepson, ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren, and a multitude of In-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, and other family and friends who loved and admired her.

Memorial Service: An online service is being planned and will premiere on YouTube at 2:00pm PDT on Sunday, June 28, 2020. If you would like to submit a very brief remembrance by video, audio or written, please send to her son Dave Olson at [email protected] by no later than Monday, June 22 at 5pm.

Her epitaph will read, “If anybody asks you who I am, tell them I’m a child of God.”

For those who would like to honor her memory with a gift, here are three options that were a special part of her life and legacy:

Holy Cross Lutheran School in Livermore. We plan to establish something enduring and visible at the school she founded. Exactly what will be determined in conversation with the family and school leadership. Your thoughts are also welcome. To be part of that you may send and a check or give online to: Memorial Fund/Clarene Johnson, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1020 Mocho Street Livermore, CA 94550. To give online go to: https://holycrosslivermore.breezechms.com/give/online. Choose “to Memorial” in the drop down menu and write Clarene Johnson in the comments.

A second memorial fund will be established at Christ Lutheran Church in Lakewood, WA. Clarene was a leader in hospitality and so the fund will provide for what is needed to continue the blessing of hospitality toward others who are served by that congregation. Gifts may be mailed to: Attention: Barb Kurtz/Hospitality Committee, Memorial Fund/Clarene Johnson, Christ Lutheran Church, 8211 112th Street SW, Lakewood, WA 98498. To give online Go to: www.ChristLutheranLakewood.com/giving. A form will then pull up and near the bottom before Total is a line item for Memorial Fund and a box to the right in which to write Clarene Johnson/Hospitality.

Because PLU was so important to Clarene, the family also encourages gifts in her memory to The Clarene Johnson Music Education Endowment, PLU Office of Advancement, 12180 Park Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98447, or online at www.plu.edu/tribute.