Leda Johnson

LEDA JOHNSON IDAHO FALLS, ID -- Leda Chinn Johnson was born May 6, 1927, in Richfield, Utah, to William Easton Chinn and Olive Isabel Leavitt Chinn. She was the ninth child and fourth daughter in a family of six boys and six girls. Her brothers, William Howard, Dee Leavitt, Leonard Kelsey, Arthur J., Orson Kenneth and Jack Easton Chinn, her sisters Birdie Lee, Delta Jamison, Blanche Connell, Madeline Naas, her parents, and her husband, Eugene Emory Johnson, and son, Michael Dean Johnson, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sons, James Eugene Johnson of Moscow, Idaho, William Fred Johnson and Gregory Howard Johnson of Chandler, Arizona, and her daughter, Cynthia Mae Johnson Etheridge of Oceanside, California, and a sister, Geneva Wood, of West Covina, California. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren, Marcus and Whitney Johnson, Andrea White, Ryan, Benjamin, Adam, Zachary and Kara Johnson, Sarah Etheridge, and great grandchildren Nicole, Joey and Katy White. When Leda was two years, her family moved from Richfield, Utah, to Idaho Falls. Leda came with her mother in a horse drawn wagon, along with some of the younger children. Her father and older brothers drove ahead in a car to find work. For Leda and her siblings who came in the wagon, it was quite an adventure. Leda attended elementary school, junior high and high school in Idaho Falls. In her teens she worked at the Supermaid Ice Cream Store on Park Avenue in Idaho Falls. Later she became a teller at the Bank of Idaho, where she enjoyed her job very much. In 1950 Leda met Eugene Emory Johnson. After a courtship of several months, they were married at the home of her sister, Delta, in Idaho Falls. Eugene later joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he and Leda were sealed in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple August 12, 1950. They built a family cabin in Island Park, Idaho, where they enjoyed many happy years with their family. Gene and Leda owned and operated Johnson Brothers Planing Mill until Gene passed away in 1970. Leda lived full-time at the cabin for a short while after the children were raised, then moved to Salt Lake City and worked in the Membership Department of the LDS Church. In this capacity she had the privilege of working in the mountain vaults where so many of the church records are stored. She also served as a missionary on Temple Square. While living in Salt Lake she loved to attend many of the cultural activities held in the Tabernacle and at other venues. She later moved to St. George, Utah, a town she loved very much. Two years ago her sons decided she should move to Mesa, where she could be close to them. She loved being near her children and grandchildren and continued her activity in the church. Leda made friends wherever she went and was loved by many. She passed away at the home of her son, Bill, in Chandler, Arizona, on March 25, 2007, and will be buried next to her husband in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Graveside Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 2, 2007, at Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge Avenue, Idaho Falls. ---------------------------------------------------- Condolences received online: Cyndy, We are sorry for your loss and have been thinking about you since we read about your mother in the newspaper. We both have great memories of you in Junior High and High School. May your good memories of your mother help sustain you during this trying time. Sincerely, Philip and Lorna Jenkins Laurie Croft pugzim@hotmail.com Cindy...I just found out about your mom. I am very sorry about your loss. I remember the good times in my childhood when she took my brother and I up to the cabin in the summer. She made the difficult time of my parents divorce easier to handle by taking us under her wing. I will always remember her with fondness. Your cousin, Laurie Chinn-Croft Douglas Chinn dchinn1@pacbell.net I just recently (November) heard of my Aunt Leda passing away. I have such fond memories of her. I remember as a small child being with her at the cabin at Island Park. Such a wonderful lady. She used to try and scare me and my brothers by saying Grizzly Bears were just outside. I loved her very much. God Bless. Doug