- Elizabeth Larson
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Marilou Johnson
Marilou (Marilouise Christofferson) Johnson
1929 - 2019
Marilou Johnson died peacefully on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at Young In Heart Care Home in Concord, California.
Marilou was born in Valley City, North Dakota, on Aug. 27, 1929, to Dewey and Jayne Christofferson. She was the third of four children. She grew up in Valley City and attended Valley City schools, graduating from high school in 1947.
While in high school, she was active in drama and had a close circle of friends. They called themselves the “Big Eleven” and kept in touch with each other through the years. Marilou was true to her Valley City friends, attended numerous Valley City reunions and kept North Dakota close to her heart throughout her lifetime.
In 1955, after moving to Kelseyville, California, Marilou married Steve Johnson in the Fireside Room at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church. The couple was immediately embraced by a group of amazing Kelseyville locals. The friendships that started then endured through all of the years of her life.
Marilou and Steve's first home in California, with their first two children, was in Soda Bay. Their next move took them to a home on State Street, Kelseyville. Soon thereafter, additions to the family began increasing exponentially. In 1961, the sixth and last of the Johnson kids was added to the family.
Marilou was a master at making the little house a home for her family. And, she was also a master at caring for and raising her six children. She and Steve lived in the same house in Kelseyville for 48 years and raised all six children there. All of her children attended Kelseyville schools.
In 2003, Marilou and Steve downsized and moved from Kelseyville to Lakeport. Their next move, in 2010, was to Concord, to be closer to family. However, even after living away for sixteen years, Marilou still considered Kelseyville to be her home.
In the early years, Marilou was chief accountant to husband Steve's local business, the Kelseyville Feed and Seed Store (later changed to the Lake County Orchard and Garden Supply). Her work career changed course when she started at the Lake County Fruit Exchange / Mount Konocti Growers, in 1969. Eventually becoming the assistant office manager, she was highly respected for her efficiency, organizational skill, sense of humor and her amazing and quite natural “people skills.” Her intelligence, poise, grace, compassion and omnipresent smile were catalyst to her work success.
She related to, and become friends with, well … everyone! This included the board, her boss, co-workers, the growers, the workers on the front line and the consultants and vendors. All considered her an asset to the organization, and also considered her a personal friend. And, she considered each of them a personal friend, too! Her Konocti Growers' years were some of the best of her life, and she remained close to so many of the friends she made during that time period.
Marilou's top priority was family. She and Steve were married for 57 years before his death in 2012. Her six children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren were the loves of her life. She also cherished her extended family and one of her passions was genealogy. Even before Ancestry.com, she was digging deeply into her family history. One outcome is that she and Steve connected with relatives in Iceland and traveled there for visits on two occasions.
Marilou was also passionate about cooking (she had over 200 cookbooks at one time), style (always dressed to impress), all things pears and her groups of close friends. In addition to the Big Eleven from Valley City High, she cherished her Birthday Club, State Street, Sylar Lane, Mt. Konocti Growers and Presbyterian Church friends from Kelseyville. She was also able to cross generations and became good friends with many of her kids’ friends! True to her nature, she also developed close friendships when she moved to the Vintage Brooks apartment complex in Concord.
Marilou will be missed and will be remembered for her generous and thoughtful nature, love of life, compassion for others and love of family and friends. Her enduring legacy is framed as a most remarkable woman whose core character included patience, understanding, gentleness, poise, wisdom, strength and classic elegance.
She was predeceased by her husband, Steve; parents, Dewey and Jane Christofferson; and brothers, Don and Richard Christofferson.
She is survived by her six children, Jeff (Shawnee), Nancy (John), Jon (Michaelene), Kristine (Jeff), Julie (David) and Richard; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by her brother, Tom (Ramona); nephews, Brian (Marilyn) and Steve Johnson, Michael Christofferson (Elaine), Todd Christofferson (Deborah), Michael S. Christofferson (Claudia) and Ross Christofferson (Aine); and nieces, Stephanie Fjestad (Orian), Terry Steele (Bruce), Patrice Christman (Dick), Kim Barry (Guy) and Cheri Reynolds (Jim).
A memorial service to celebrate Marilou's life will be held at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 8, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception in the Friendship Hall of the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 310, Kelseyville, CA, 95451.
Please share your memories by signing the guest book at www.record-bee.com .
