Baker City, Oregon
LaJean E. Johnston, 74, a long-time Baker City resident, died Dec. 14, 2001, at her home.
Her funeral was at 2 p.m. at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Ed Niswender of the Calvary Baptist Church officiated. Private vault interment was at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Mrs. Johnston was born on Dec. 24, 1926, at Baker City. She graduated from Baker High School on May 17, 1945, as valedictorian of the Class of 1945.
She was married to Owen H. McIntyre and they had four children: Karen, Linda, Kevin and Phyllis. Along with being mother to her children, she also kept business books, doing some of the work at home. She was very close to her family. Grandmas Ann Sisley and Sarah Estes and her mother, Daisy Estes, all worked at helping with family care.
She married Albert Johnston on Sept. 6, 1961. She added two children from Albert to this marriage, Ken Johnston and Joanne Sponseller. She loved her family very much and always enjoyed planning for their happiness.
She worked in insurance for many years beginning with C. Jack Miller, then Burnside Insurance and then retired while working in the insurance business with Daryle Burnside and Terry Schumacher.
She loved working in her yard with landscaping, flowers, fountains and the birds. She loved her music.
Her parents provided music for dances back in the olden days so she grew up playing piano, violin and filling in playing accordion. She had an artistic talent for drawing pictures especially as it related to family. She started oil painting this past year.
Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and David Yeakley, Linda and Jim Thomas, Phyllis and Tom Cummings, Joanne and Don Sponseller and son and daughter-in-law, Ken and Berniece Johnston; very special cousin and wife, Darrel and Roberta Sisley; grandchildren Jason, Joel, Kayla, Karen, Sharon, Byron, Kevin, Mark and Kathy; and great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Daisy Estes; a sister LaVelle; her husband, Albert Johnston; and her son, Kevin.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, December 21, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor