Mary Jean (Dinwoodie) Johnson

Mary Jean Johnson (nee Dinwoodie) was born May 26,1925 in Little Woodie in the Swan River Valley. She was born the second of 6 and learned early on to care for others, as first her mother and then her father died when she and her siblings were all young. Her greatest sorrow in her life was that she couldn’t keep her siblings together after her parents passing and she always kept in close touch with them over their lifetimes 

She met and married Gilbert Johnson in 1947 and soon they started farming outside of Bowsman and that’s where their own 6 children were born, Donald (Britta), Gleness (Allan), Leslie (Annette), Ivan, Wendy (Rick), and Martin (Marlene). She loved life on the farm, especially her gardens and was very active in community life from UCW and church board, Legion Auxiliary and Farmers Union to fall suppers and spring teas. She loved to feed people and to help anywhere she could. She always had a smile, whether holding a new baby, comforting someone ill or in need and would cheerfully pick up people with limited transportation to go to town or church. Mom and Dad both loved curling and camping and you always knew that if there was a dance within 50 miles they would be having a ball with their “gang”!  

She was proud of her family and was thrilled when each of her many grandchildren were born. She was happy and fortunate to have to have many great grandchildren as well as great-great grandchildren and often wished her own Mom could have seen the extent of her legacy. 

Jean’s later years were clouded by the unexpected loss of 2 grandchildren (Kimmy and Mandy) and her loving husband Gilbert after 62 years of marriage. Dementia crept in and eventually stole her memories but it never took her smile.