Ardith Pauline Trumbull Johnson, Toby, widow of the Rev. Ivan Dewayne Johnson and mother of the Rev. Doug Johnson, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at Greensburg, where she had relocated to be closer to her son Doug, following a debilitating illness.
Born May 26, 1925, in Brandy Camp, she was the daughter of the late Donald and Elizabeth Jefferson Trumbull. She was married to the Rev. I. Dewayne Johnson on May 20, 1951, in Brandy Camp. Ardith and Dewayne celebrated 61 years of marriage before his death Dec. 24, 2012. Together they raised four boys and served in the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Ardith enjoyed her role as a pastor's wife which eventually took them across western Pennsylvania where they served in many churches and made many friends. After Dewayne's retirement, they resettled in their beloved home community and in several leadership positions. She was a member of the United Methodist Women's group and was a voting poll attendant for Fox Township.
Ardith was proud of her heritage; she could trace her family history to the early settlers in Massachusetts.
Through all of the trials and glories of her life, she found strength and guidance in her lifelong devotion to the United Methodist Church and her Christian faith.
Ardith is survived by three sons: Kenneth Johnson (Carol) of Hazen, Craig Johnson (Jennifer) of State College, Rev. Doug Johnson of Mt. Pleasant; one daughter, Kathy Cohen of College Station, Texas; 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, Donald Trumbull (Betty) of Geneva, N.Y. and Gerald Trumbull (Joyce) of Sacramento, Calif.; one sister, Gretchen Foreman (Jerry) of Sun City, Ariz.; one sister-in-law, Bernice Mae Murnaghan (Bill) of Ridgway; many nieces and nephews and her aunt, Vida Trumbull.
She was also preceded in death by an infant daughter; one son, Bryan; one daughter-in-law, Lisa; one sister, Glendora Bennett; one brother, James Trumbull; and in-laws: Leonard Bennett, Jayne Trumbull, Marie and Raymond Carlson, Dorethea and Clifford Lilja, Richard and Enid Johnson.
The family would like to thank the medical staff at Westmoreland Manor for their love and care of Ardith during her extended illness.
Friends were to be received from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16. at the Thompson Funeral Home, Ridgway. Funeral services for Ardith were scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Holy Cross Worship Center in Brandy Camp on Jan. 17. Officiating will be the Rev. Karen Trask of the Brockport Charge and Ardith's son, the Rev. Doug Johnson. Burial will follow at the Brandy Camp Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Thompson Funeral Home, Ridgway. Details will follow.