Jeanne Kay (Boardsen) Johnson | obituaries

Jeanne Kay (Boardsen) Johnson of Goldendale was called home to our Heavenly Father on June 25, 2022, in Vancouver, Washington. Jeanne was a beloved daughter and sister, devoted wife, mother, and doting grandmother and great grandmother.

Jeanne was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, to Oscar and Eileen (Clifford) Boardsen. She was baptized into the Catholic Church on December 7, 1941. Jeanne spent her early childhood on the family farm in South Dakota. Jeanne had many fond memories of the Black Hills, the Badlands, and Mt.

Rushmore, to name a few; she shared memories of the Catholic boarding school with her sister Mary Jo. She spoke of special grandparents and aunts and uncles. Through a special bond with her Grandma Boardsen, Jeanne was able to speak a little and understand the Norwegian language. Jeanne shared fond memories of the family gatherings and the times spent with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family at these gatherings.

Later in life, Jeanne returned to South Dakota on numerous occasions, a few times to honor a loved one who had passed, other times just on family trips “back home.” She thoroughly enjoyed these visits because she said back home it’s easier for extended family to reconnect and catch up on lives of one another.

The family left the farm and moved to Sunnyside, Washington. She attended Outlook Grade School for a time, then graduated Sunnyside High School. Jeanne attended Beauty School in Yakima, Washington, after high school. After completing Beauty School, she returned to Sunnyside, becoming employed at the Sun Valley/Safari Room.

Jeanne shared so many memories of her life growing up in Sunnyside. She often spoke of the normal mischievous teenage things she and her sister Mary Jo had done growing up, her memories of those years of growing up and developing a lifelong, close relationship with her cousin “Pat” (Collins) Cockrum, and the stories of their adventures cruising the gut of Sunnyside. Jeanne had many stories of working at the SunValley/Safari Room and the numerous friendships and many people that touched her life in one way or another throughout her time being employed there. Also, during this time, she met Gordon Allen Johnson, and after a short courtship the two were married September 9, 1967, at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Goldendale. Due to Gordon’s career change into construction, it was at this time that Jeanne’s career became a homemaker, and by March 1970 the couple had two sons, Oscar (Ozzie) and Matthew (Matt) Johnson.

Jeanne loved being a mom. She was always one of the first moms to volunteer to bring her baked goods to class parties or bake sales or volunteering to chaperone on field trips. Jeanne loved to cook and bake for Gordon and the boys and whatever friend or friends one or both boys had tagging along with them. Family members speak of the amazing dishes Jeanne could make.

Jeanne made many friends throughout her lifetime living in Goldendale and enjoyed each of these friendships immensely. After Gordon’s passing, however, Jeanne had a very strong and meaningful friendship with Janice McDow of Goldendale. Jeanne and Janice spent time visiting, and taking out of town shopping trips together, or walking downtown for coffee or lunch. I know Jeanne was happy to call her a friend and thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the time the two of them had shared. So, on behalf of the entire family, my mom included, we want to thank you for being her friend!

Jeanne was a beautiful woman inside and out; she was a very kindhearted loving person, her smile could light up a room, and her laugh was infectious. Jeanne was not spared the gift of gab and often would not let you get one word in edgewise as she excitedly blurted out whatever she had to tell you.

Throughout Jeanne’s married life, Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mount Adams held a very close place in her heart. Gordon, she, and the boys spent a lot of time exploring the various campgrounds and many lakes, camping and fishing, or huckleberry picking. Jeanne could sure pick those berries, though, and after harvest she’d clean the package, and then bake her delicious various huckleberry desserts she loved sharing with family and friends.

After Gordon’s retirement, Peterson Prairie space no. 2 was almost Jeanne and Gordon’s second residence, at least from mid-June on into late September. They spent many days camping and fishing. Jeanne loved to catch those brook trout. She and Gordon would keep these prized fish for her to cook over the campfire. Her food over the open fire just seemed to taste about the same at home, but maybe the ambiance in my memory makes it more amazing. Jeanne would fish with one and only one type of fishing pole and reel because that’s what she knew, and it frequently worked for her as she would often times catch most of the biggest fish. She would let us know going home from those fishing trips that she doesn’t need all that fancy gear and tackle to catch fish.

When the boys got older, she would often go along just to walk with Gordon and the boys as they went bird hunting. She would even sometimes bird dog a downed bird the actual hunting dog could not retrieve. Somehow, she could retrieve the lost bird no matter how thick the brush was or how many thorns were in those bushes—she could somehow retrieve that bird. Mom never hunted herself, just would walk along. Sometimes, but not nearly as often, she would walk along on deer hunts as well.

Jeanne loved shopping, and when Gordon was alive Black Friday was an annual event in the Johnson household. Jeanne also loved yard sales and could often be seen racing around town from sale to sale, searching for the next treasure or buying sewing fabric by the carload.

Jeanne became an avid quilter, and through this gift of quilting she made and donated many, many baby quilts to Klickitat Valley Health for them to give out to newborns when this hospital was still delivering babies. Jeanne spent many hours of time, love, and energy sewing these pieces of yard sale fabric into beautiful, warm, and comforting patchworks of love that she gave to numerous family and friends.

Jeanne had a wealth of knowledge about the different songbirds that passed through; those birds of North America would wonder how they so easily remembered what they all were. She enjoyed feeding birds in the winter and sitting in her backyard relaxing, watching, and listening to the birds in the spring, summer, and early fall.

Autumn was Jeanne’s favorite season. She loved the warmth, but not hot, and the crispness in the air at night, and the beautiful colors to be seen as the trees turned. She would love to just drive up to the Trout Lake area just to see the early colors of fall.

“Mom, you will be missed forever and never forgotten! We love you.”

Jeanne is survived by her sons and their families: Oscar (Darcy) Johnson of Goldendale, Matthew (Wendy) Johnson of Vancouver, Washington.; grandchildren Susan, Scott, Lorienne, Oscie, Jesse, Dakota, Kallen; great-grandchildren Blake, Taylen, and Wilder; sisters Mary Jo (Boardsen) Hopperstadt

of Yakima, Washington, and Julie E. (Boardsen) Smith and Gloria Boardsen Riches (Phil) of Vancouver, Washington; as well as many other extended family members.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents Oscar and Eileen (Clifford) Boardsen and her husband Gordon A. Johnson.

A Rosary will be conducted Friday, July 15, 2022, at 7 pm at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Goldendale. Celebration of Life and Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, July 16, 2022, at 10:30 am at the Holy Trinity Catholic church in Goldendale, with burial to follow at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Goldendale.

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