Joan Johnson was the youngest of 11 children to Heinrich and Antoinette Viereck. She was born and raised in Wilmington, California. She met the love of her life, Milton, (better known as Mickey) Johnson at "The Pike"( An amusement park in Long Beach, California.) She said, "we were watching the kids skating across from each other and suddenly our eyes locked and next we were watching each other. Mickey's friend asked for my phone number but Mickey whispered, 'don't go out with him until you go out with me first'. So, I went out with him and the rest is history." They married on September 16, 1956 and to this union, came four children Carol, Donna, Debbie and Randy. Mickey and Joan enjoyed 49 years of marriage until Mickey's death on April 9, 2006. There was a Jehovah's witness lady that would come to study the Bible with Joan's mother when Joan was just a teen. She would sit quietly at her mother's feet and listen. After her mother passed away, Joan had a dream. She thought she saw her mother floating in the air. Joan said right away, "she is not floating she is asleep." From listening to the Bible with her mother, she learned that the dead are in a deep sleep awaiting a resurrection. She eventually studied the Bible for herself and dedicated her life to Jehovah on July 10th, 1960. She served as a regular pioneer from 2016 to 2017 and she regularly auxiliary pioneered, dedicating 60 or more hours per month to preaching the Good News of the Kingdom. She was known for placing more than 80 magazines a month with those she knew and called them her "RV's" on the run as she stood at the bus stop. Most of her neighbors referred to her as the "Bible lady." She enjoyed the simple things in life. When relaxing, she would sit on her balcony and listen to "Coast" radio station and reminisce about her Mickey, while enjoying a beer. Feeding the squirrels peanuts and watching the hummingbirds with her hummingbird feeder was her " free entertainment ". She also enjoyed watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, which she was very good at. A highlight of her week for Friday's when her older brother, Carl Viereck, and nephew, John Doane would bring fish over and they would enjoy family time together. She would often tell married couples to write love notes to each other and date them, so you could enjoy them later! And her husband, Mickey left her one that she shared with her friends letting her know he was proud of her for being a Jehovah's witness. Many people where she lived referred to her as a good Christian woman. And her spiritual brothers and sisters loved her very much ! One of her favorite scriptures was Revelation 21:4, " And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." Though cancer took her from us quickly, she fought and won the fight for life! She will be remembered in our hearts for her deep love for Jehovah, her family and her friends. * Copied from Memorial Service remembrance print out *