Obituary of Elizabeth Gordon Johnson

" SOUTH HADLEY-- Elizabeth Gordon (Hodgson) Johnson, 90, died March 3 in Cooley Dickinson Hospital of heart failure. Born in Flatbush (Brooklyn) New York on April 5, 1914, she lived for the past 68 years in the Pioneer Valley, raised 6 children with her husband Richard (deceased in 1986) and since 2000, resided at Applewood Retirement Community. She showed her usual enthusiasm for healthy living up to the day of her sudden death, playing table tennis, helping to organize activities at Applewood, mowing the lawn at her homestead, giving her famous slide shows of travels taken around the globe, and planning what she intended to be her final trip to England’s Canals in the spring of 2004. Betty was the daughter of the late John Lawson Hodgson and Kathryn (Randall) Hodgson. She attended the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn before moving to Wellesley, MA where she attended high school. During the Depression, she put herself through college at Simmons-Bouve Boston and received her degree in physical education. She worked in that capacity for the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton for two years. In 1938 she married Richard L. Johnson, an owner of Johnson’s Bookstore for 40 years, living first in Springfield, then Hockanum, and finally 3 Woodbridge in South Hadley. While her own children were young, Betty volunteered in the local school teaching square dancing and led the local Girl Scout troop. Later, she became the first teacher, and then coordinator for the South Hadley elementary schools physical education program. Hundreds of local people remember rope jumping with Mrs. Johnson when they were children. When her husband retired, they moved to 50 acres on Pearl Street in South Hadley, and renovated the former one room brick school building. Together they operated Johnson’s Christmas Tree Farm, which she continued to operate alone for 10 years after his death. She was very proud of establishing a conservation easement that has protected her property at the base of Mount Holyoke from development, continuing the legacy of her husband who was prominent in South Hadley’s initial efforts to preserve open space. In retirement, her passions remained tennis, participation in Learning In Retirement (LIR) programs, canal boating in England, travels (but only where she could camp and hike). Five-star hotels had no appeal. Her commitment to physical fitness at her advancing age won her a Gold Medal in the Massachusetts Senior Olympics in discus throwing (she was the only entry) and a Silver medal in tennis. In 2002 at 88 she hung up her tennis racket and took up ping pong, encouraging other residents at Applewood to learn to play so she’d have some challengers. She leaves six children, Martha Johnson Gilburg of Pearl Street, Peter R. Johnson of The Knolls, Susan Jennifer Johnson of Washington DC and Grenada, Nancy E. Johnson of Florence, Bruce P. Johnson of Agawam, and Carolyn Johnson Goetz of Collegeville, PA; six grandchildren, Christy, Richard, Beth and Dan Johnson and Kathryn and Andrew Goetz; and one great-grandchild, Caden Winslow Halberg, born January 21, 2004. Elizabeth's Memorial Service will take place Sunday May 16, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of South Hadley, 1 Church St. which is on Route 116 across from the green in the center of town. Contributions in her memory may be made to Valley Land Fund, PO Box 522, Hadley, MA 01035, and the First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., So. Hadley, MA 01075. Please register your condolences here or send letters of gratitude and appreciation and memories to her children c/o Martha Gilburg, 255 Pearl St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Ever the teacher, Betty donated her body to American International College for research. "