Clara Dell Johnson's Obituary
Clara Dell Johnson was born on May 25, 1926 on a farm near Joshua, TX. She left this world on Monday, May 1 at 5:45 PM to join her Heavenly Father in a new place that had already been prepared for her. Clara was a graduate of Joshua High School in Joshua, TX where the school slogan was “Josh-a-way push away, any way to get away.” When she graduated from high school, she continued to live on the family farm and worked at the variety store in Joshua. She also worked for Bell Telephone for a short time. She met Pink William Johnson Jr., a resident of nearby Burleson, in 1947 and in April of 1948 they were married. Their wedding took place in the parsonage of the First Baptist Church of Joshua, where Clara was a member. Even though her parents were members of the First United Methodist Church of Joshua, they would drop her off at FBC, Joshua each Sunday. Shortly after their marriage, Pinky (Bill to family) left to go to work for Rowan Drilling Company in West Texas. In August of 1949, Clara gave birth to their first son, Randy, in Ft. Worth, TX. Later that year, Clara and Randy met Pinky in Big Lake, TX. For the next few months they spent brief stays in Big Spring, TX, Hobbs, NM, and finally in Odessa, TX. In October, 1950 their second son, Sammy, was born and Odessa would become their home for the next 63 years. The family missed becoming charter members of the Second Baptist Church of Odessa by a year or so. This would be their home church throughout their stay in Odessa. Clara dedicated most of her time and energy to rearing two boys while Pinky worked in the oil fields of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. He was later promoted to the Yard Forman and eventually became the Assistant Division Manager for Rowan whose offices were in nearby Midland. Clara drove a car for a year or so before receiving her driver’s license. As the boys became older, she was employed by the Gold Bond Stamps Company where she worked for several years. She decided to move to Richardson, TX in 2013 (19 years after Pinky’s death in April, 1994). There she resided at the Wellington at Arapaho, an independent and assisted living facility, so she could be closer to her family. Clara is preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Florence Fortenberry of Josuha, TX; husband, Pinky Johnson of Odessa, TX; sisters, Wynnie Hooper of Burleson, TX and Tommie Massey of Ft. Worth, TX; brother, Billy Fortenberry of Maybank, TX. Clara is survived by sons, Randy Johnson and wife, Carol of Garland, TX and Sam Johnson of The Woodlands, TX; grandchildren, Lindsey Floyd and husband, Bobby of Rowlett, TX, Casey Kyllonen and husband, T J of Bryan, TX, and Brandon Johnson of Austin, TX; great-grandchildren, Aubrey and Asher Floyd of Rowlett, TX and Piper Kyllonen of Bryan, TX. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 800 PM, Friday, May 5, 2017 at Hubbard Kelly Funeral Home. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, May 6, 2017 at Second Baptist Church. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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