Helen Johnson

Johnson, Helen Marie Goetz

Helen Marie Goetz Johnson, age 80, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at Agrace HospiceCare in Madison after a three-month battle with cancer. Formerly of Rumson, New Jersey, Helen was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 15, 1933 to Milton Alois Goetz and Helen Marie Kelly. Raised in Brooklyn and Pelham, New York, Helen attained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, and became a bridal fashion buyer at Marshall Field and Company in Chicago. She married her husband of 34 years, Everett Humphrey Johnson, Jr. in Pelham, just after Hurricane Donna roared up the Atlantic Coast in September, 1960. Helen moved from Chicago to Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, back to Chicago and eventually to Chappaqua, New York and raised three children, Everett H. (Laurie) Johnson, III, of Wilmette, Illinois, Jennifer A. (Christopher) Johnson Temme, of Madison and Roderick C. (Daveanna) Johnson of Troy, Illinois. An avid gardener and bridge player, Helen and Ev enjoyed many years in Chappaqua and Rumson with Ev commuting to the city as a fragrances and flavor company executive. The Johnson family spent summers traveling to favorite locations in New England, North Carolina, Camp Michigania, Hilton Head, Basin Harbor Yacht Club, Canada and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Helen will be remembered for her keen intellect, quick wit, beautiful gardens, amazing floral-arranging abilities, fabulous cooking skills and strategic skills at competitive bridge. She is survived by her children, two brothers, Milton A. (JoAnne) Goetz of Winston-Salem, NC and William R. Goetz of New York, NY, grandchildren Kimberly, Pamela, and Everett Johnson, Philip, Everett, and Brooke Temme and Jake and Joey, nieces Suzanne Goetz, Molly Cahill, and Lily Goetz, and nephew Peter Goetz, and her special canine companion, Tucker. Helen is predeceased by her parents and husband, Everett, in 1994. She enjoyed many travels with her Rumson buddies and leaves a grand legacy of competitive bridge skills, partnered with her stand-by-me-man, brother Milt and her special bridge group. We will all miss her amazing sense of humor and creativity along with her wisdom, grace, humility and terrific perseverance to fight her valiant battle with cancer. Special thanks to the wonderful caregivers at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, NJ and UW Hospital and Clinics, Oakwood Village - University Woods Campus and Agrace HospiceCare in Madison. Private family services will be held. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Agrace HospiceCare in Madison. Online condolences can be made at cressfuneralservice.com.