Veda Grace Johnson came into the world on Feb. 14, 1929, and journeyed home Oct. 30, 2006.
She was born in Faulk County outside the Cheyenne Indian Reserve and followed her heart with strength and courage leaving all she knew of her beloved prairie family.
Veda a.k.a. Little Thorn in foot married Keith W. Johnson just out of the Army Air Corps in 1945. She finished high school with honors at Bothell High School. Had she been able to continue to higher education her passion was journalism. An avid reader and writer she kept up her scholarly endeavors and wrote for area news and periodicals on human interest and current events. Veda was also an avid gardener and artist in painting and drawing.
She was a natural psychologist with her wise council, and her ultimate timeouts were way before todays popular child psychological nuance of our times. Her strength, integrity, pride and dignity served her family well. For 54 years Veda and Keith served their community youth at the Alderwood Manor Youth Club, Pegasus Patrol 4-H, Meadowdale High School Marching Band and the Northwest Junior Rodeo Association.
Many called her mom; and we loved her so, for the time she gave all of us. She encouraged many to look deeper into their passions to find and achieve their dreams, sharing her strength of values and virtue to making the right choices in a changing world. She was truly a child of god who kept her alignment with creator, herself, and mother earth, keeping a generosity of heart and spirit. Simply, she knew the secret of giving.
Saying good-bye for now are survivors; KimiKai, her daughter of Stanwood, Wash.; grandsons, Kody (Julie), of Lynnwood, Wash., Kory (Rachel), of Marysville, Wash., Jerrod of Woodinville, Wash., and Ryan, of Pullman, Wash.; sister, Nina, of Lynnwood; and great-grandchildren, Dustin Keith, Dakota, Kaden, Dalton, Morgan and Garret.
Saying hello, and those who preceded her in death, are her husband, Keith; her parents, Montie and Edna Woodford; sister, Lorraine Abernathy, of Rapid City, Iowa; brother, Jordan Woodford, of Huron, South Dakota; sons, Krag Bari, and Ronnie (adopted); and daughter, Kris Mari.
An open house memorial was held from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 25, at 16911 Olympic View Drive (Keith and Vedas home) in Lynnwood. It was a potluck and hors doeuvres, to share our fire and break bread with us. We recalled our memories and stories that touched us.