Claire Catherine Johnson's Obituary
Claire Catherine Gruneis Johnson was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on August 7,
1930, to German immigrants Emil and Emma Gruneis and died peacefully in
Richardson, Texas, on October 27, 2023, at the age of 93 with her children and
grandchildren at her side. She grew up in a musical home along with 4 siblings and
discovered a passion for the flute, which grew throughout her lifetime. During her high
school years, she performed with multiple orchestras and thereafter attended Juilliard
School of Music in New York City, where she met her husband Ron, a tenor. Ron died
unexpectedly at age forty, and Claire took on the challenges of raising their 5 children.
She developed a successful career in music, which included 10 years as choir director
of Westshore United Methodist Church and teaching at Richardson schools, East Texas
State University, the University of Houston, and Southern Methodist University, where
she was a professor of flute for 32 years. Most important in Claire’s professional life
were her hundreds of private students who she developed as musicians and mentored.
She lived independently and taught up until the time of her death. Claire regularly
conducted master classes and clinics and received numerous prestigious awards from
state and national music organizations. She was also the founder of Floot Fire, an
organization dedicated to developing the skills of young flutists. While music teaching
was her life’s work, family and friends were her true source of joy, and she was
energized by being with them. She loved nurturing the musical talents of her children,
grandchildren, and great grandchildren and watching them grow, spending time in her
garden, reading, attending symphony and opera performances with close friends,
hosting musical soirées in her home, and brightening frequent family gatherings. Her
enthusiasm for life and unconditional love will be greatly missed. Claire is survived by
sister Sandra Pavkov and husband Ray, son Ron Johnson and wife Sharon, daughter
Nancy Johnson, daughter Debby Johnson Townsend, daughter Sandy Johnson Ivey
and husband Curt, daughter Becky Fletcher and husband Brent, grandchildren Lauren
Eastburn and husband Justin, Kristen Lesher and husband Barrett, Kaitlyn Ward and
husband Aaron, and Blake Fletcher, and great grandsons, Parker and Preston
Eastburn, Andrew, Jack, and Ben Lesher, and Harrison and Rusty Ward. A memorial
service will be held on Thursday, November 16 at 2:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Highland
Park Presbyterian Church, 3821 University Blvd. in Dallas. A reception will follow. In lieu
of flowers, donations may be made to the Claire Johnson Memorial Flute Fund in care
of Nick Weege, SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Owens Arts Center, 6201 Bishop
Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75205. Direct questions to Nick Weege, 214.768.2610 or
nweege@smu.edu.
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