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Obituary (CA): Mrs. "Holly" (Frederick C. Johnson '52)

Posted on 08/07/2018

Hazel Elizabeth Johnson  (April 11, 1926 - July 7, 2018)

Hazel Elizabeth Murphy Johnson, also widely known as Holly Johnson, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2018, while a full-time patient at the Oakdale Senior Living Facility in La Mesa, CA. Holly was born in Florence, SD, the 8th child in a closely knit family of 12 children. Holly loved life but was forever looking forward to joining her beloved parents William Richard Murphy and Lela Denny Junod, brothers Donovan, William, Richard, Gerald, Denny, Harold and James, sisters Margaret, Lee and daughter Holly Diane. Holly joined the WWII effort immediately after graduating from Florence South Dakota High School in 1945 by volunteering as a Clerical Secretary in the US Army War Casualties Division in Washington, D.C. where she served honorably until the late fall of 1952. Holly was crowned Miss South Dakota during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. in 1951 and remained a graceful beauty queen thereafter. She and her career Naval Officer Husband Frederick C. Johnson (aka Fox Johnson) united in marriage at the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, MD on June 7th, 1952 starting a 30 year adventure of love, travel, demanding duty stations at Sea and career rewarding assignments ashore. The couple had 3 children: her beloved children Holly Diane, Kandy Karen and son Frederick C. Jr. (aka Rick). Holly will long be remembered as a worldwide traveler. She was a member of the family Women's International Bowling Conference (WIBC) team, a devoted Padres baseball fan through their formative years. Holly was also a dedicated and faithful member of Christ the King Lutheran Church of El Cajon, CA. She was crowned Miss South Dakota during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. in 1951 and remained a graceful beauty queen thereafter. Holly is survived by her loving husband of 66 years Frederick C. Johnson, her daughter Kandy (Carlton), son Rick (Jo Anne), son-in-law Daniel P. Mooney, granddaughter Sarah Beth (Michael), great-granddaughter Veronica, sister Marcella Baker (Leroy), brother Wayne Murphy (Karen), sister-in-law Marcella Murphy (James) and numerous nieces and nephews. She will forever be remembered as the perfect Navy wife, an always gracious and charming hostess, a creative and imaginative gourmet cook, an excellent dancer and evermore as a deeply loving, beautiful, faithful wife and a warm, devoted loving and caring mother. We will miss her forever. A memorial service commemorating her life will be celebrated Saturday, July 28th, 2018 at 2:00pm at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in San Diego, CA. Holly's cremated remains will be inurned in the Columbarium at the US Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, MD.

Published in The San Diego Union Tribune on July 24, 2018