December 5, 1923 – January 12, 2023
Helen Margaret Howard Johnson
Born December 5, 1923 in Wayne County, WV to Bertha Frazier Howard and John D. Howard Sr. died on January 12, 2023 at her home in Mesa, AZ.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, John D. Howard Jr. and her husband of 60 years, Harold L. “Bay” Johnson.
She was also preceded in death by her second husband of 2 years, Lee Shipman.
She is survived by a son, Harold L II “Sonny” (Cindy) Johnson and her daughter Linda K. Johnson (Clarence) Daniels.
Five grandchildren; David l. (Shellie) Daniels, Kenneth M. (Leslie) Daniels, Debbi Daniels, (Mike) Cobb, Sean (Kaylee) Christensen, and Melanie (Seth) Christensen Bryant.
Eleven great grandchildren; Matthew, Joshua, Reagan, Olivia, Rebekah, Sarah, Erin, Michael, Tyler, Ashley and Whitney.
Helen graduated from Buffalo High School of Wayne County in 1941. After graduation she moved to Huntington, West Virginia where she met her future husband “Bay” whom she married in 1944. This is where they raised their 2 children and in 1981 they moved to Mesa to live out their retirement years.
Helen and Bay both worked at the Black and White Cab Company in Huntington, Bay was the cab company manager and Helen was the bookkeeper / secretary for the cab company and Shanks Tires.
Helen loved entertaining company, quilting and knitting, traveling and enjoying her grandchildren. She was a long-time member of East Mesa Baptist Church and also later North Mesa Baptist Church. She will be greatly missed by her family, her friends and all who knew her.
The family would like to thank and acknowledge her kind and loving caregivers: Michele Quigley, Tracey Longcrier, Sarah Frates, Candy Ortega and Mary Ross and all those who have helped make her later years comfortable. Also, thanks to all the wonderful nurses, Doctors and NA’s from Comprehensive Hospice Care who so kindly comforted her and the family during her last days and also thanks to Mountains View Funeral Home staff.
