63, YoungLives Director, loved teen moms, pregnant teens, family vacations with children and grandchildren.
Barbara (Stanton) Johnson, 63, of Lititz, passed away April 23, 2015 at the home of her daughter Jessica Bodene, surrounded by family members.
Born in Albany, NY, she was the daughter of Douglas R. Stanton and Marjorie Lemka Stanton. Barbara was the wife of Dr. John J. Johnson.
Barbara, for the past eight years, served as Director of the first YoungLives chapter in New Mexico, reaching out to teen moms in Crownpoint NM on the Navajo Reservation, where her husband served as Clinical Director of the Indian Health Service Healthcare Facility. Teen pregnancy is all too common and Barbara devoted herself to seek out these young Navajo mothers, to build relationships with them, to provide them parenting education and supplies, and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them in multiple settings, including the YoungLives camp in Williams Arizona, offering these young women “The Best Week of Their Lives.”
Surviving are three children: Gabriel Johnson, Jessica Bodene, wife of Joshua Bodene, and Timothy Johnson, husband of Kristin Amabile; four grandchildren: Benjamin, Luke, Anna and Jack Bodene and a fifth grandchild Olivia Johnson soon to be born May 14, 2015; and five siblings: Donald Stanton, Sandra Stanton Sloane, Heidi (Stanton) Caine, Victoria (Stanton) Sweeney, and Timothy Stanton.
Barbara was preceded in death by one child: Benjamin Johnson.
A Memorial Service will take place on Friday May 8, 2015 at 7 pm at Wheatland Presbyterian Church 1125 Columbia Avenue, Lancaster PA 17603. For questions contact Jessica Bodene at 717-626-2927.
In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to YoungLife. This will be for the Barbara J. Johnson Memorial Fund which would send teen moms to camp. Send to 216 Aspen Lane Lititz PA 17543.
I was so very sorry to hear of Barbara’s untimely death. I graduated with Don from high school and only recently lost contact. Please know that my prayers are with your entire family.
John and family, Below is what I wrote to our staff and friends in the YL family about Barbara:
Friends,
Barbara Johnson was a hero of mine and a warrior on behalf of teen moms and their babies on both coasts of our country. She started YoungLives in the Liberty Region and quickly grew to two clubs while building a committee and raising up mentors and financial support.
When God called her husband John to serve as a doctor in Crown Point NM after 20 yeas as a Presbyterian pastor, Barbara started YoungLives there with Navajo teen moms.
Barbara had been struggling with cancer for several years and she and John decided to move back to Lancaster PA to be nearer to family. Not a day passed before Barbara started calling me about starting YoungLives there. She had sent out a letter and thought she could raise some “cancer money” to start the work in Lancaster! She reminds me of Jim Rayburn in many ways. A pioneer and starter, fearless in reaching lost kids with the Gospel.
She will be greatly missed but whole and healed in the loving arms of Jesus. She wanted her gifts to go to a scholarship fund to take teen moms to YoungLives camp!
What an honor to work with her. She loved our Mission and was a great ambassador! We are grateful for the work she started in our region and the foundation that Debbie Perkins, Monica Horvath and Asia Summers are building on.
We are so sorry for your loss, but rejoice in her ‘promotion’! She will be greatly missed, I’m sure, but will be seen one day. What a reunion that will be.
See you tonight…casey
To John and all of your family:
We were saddened to hear of Barbara’s passing – and know what strength and courage she has had. She gave so much to so many. A life blessed. Here she is remembered for her smile and her laugh – such warmth! We will be thinking of you all as you gather on Friday. Our prayers are with you,
Robin, Jim, Alyxe & Bryce
To John, Jessica, Gabriel and Timothy. We are so very very sorry to hear of Barbara’s passing.
I am so sorry to hear about Barbara. I remember her as a godly woman with such a gentle spirit. She touched our lives and we were blessed with her kindness and hospitality when we were at Westminster in 2004/2005.
With deep sympathy, Isabel and family
Praying Our Lord’s comfort and peace for your family during this difficult time. Barbara was such a kind and gentle spirit. Her work as the director at the Capital Hill Pregnancy Center in D.C. was just one of the many ways she used her talents and gifts for The Lord. My family was blessed to have known the Johnson family when they were members of Harvester PCA in Springfield, VA. I know she must be greatly missed by her family and friends, but we can rejoice that she is in the presence of her Lord and Savior.
Dr. Johnson, Jessica, Joshua, and family,
I am sorry for your loss. May the “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” bring you His sweet comfort in the difficult weeks and months ahead. We are praying for you.
I am so sorry for your loss . Barbara was a wonderful woman who touched the hearts of many She will be missed but is at peace. God bless her and her loved ones,
I am so sorry to hear of Barbara’s passing. I got to see her again after many long years. It was great to spend a few hours with her that day looking at photographs, talking and meeting her grandkids. She was a warm and loving person who accomplished much in her life to benefit others. My sincere condolences to John and their family at this sad time.
I am sorry to hear about Barbara. I went to Greenville school with her and although I have not seen her since then, I remember her as a kind sweet girl. I am not surprised that she grew up to be a giving selfless person that helped others. You were all lucky to have her in your lives. My sympathy to you all.
Hello,
I read Barbara’s beautiful story. I reach out to her family with prayers of comfort and peace in her name, that all sorrow is covered in God’s abundant care. I did not know Barbara, but I feel closely connected to her as she and I share the same belief in Jesus. It is effortless for anyone to witness the amazing glow of love and goodness in Barbara’s eyes and smile. Her good work in care for others has been a gift to this world. I am blessed to hear of Barbara’s amazing life and journey. May God bless.
We too remember Barbara fondly back in the time of New Life in Ithaca. She served with joy, and we were blessed with her kindness. We pray for you, John and children, that you would feel His comfort at this time. We are so glad that this is not the end. Our hope as Christians is not in this life. Jesus was the first fruits, but we will all follow, putting on incorruption, immortality, swallowing up death in victory. But meanwhile, we grieve even while we hope. But even now, we pray that the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Dear John and family…So sorry to read the news of Barbara’s passing John. We pray that the reality of what you taught others so faithfully for decades will resonate deeply within you, sustain you, and buoy your emotions as you anticipate “sight” exchanged for “faith” which Barbara is now experiencing. We grieve, but not as those who have no hope. Blessings and love to you, with grateful remembrances of the faithfulness of you both in our community.
We are saddened and share your loss. She will be very much missed by so many. Cousin Barbara was a true gem in the mold of her Mom and this world would be a much better place if there were many more of her kind.
We are grateful for Barbara’s and your friendship and ministry to us in Ithaca, and remember you both fondly. Her practical and gracefully industrious care for life, her encouraging exemplar of faith, her beauty as wife and mother, will endure for us as a worthy memory.
Dear John and family, My deep sympathy to you during this difficult time. Barb was a treasured friend and will remain so in my heart. Barb’s love for the Lord and her ministry with YoungLives and teen mother’s was a true reflection of Barb’s heart of hearts…her joy and cheerful personality will be deeply missed by so many folks whose lives Barb touched. A true honor and privilege to have known and loved Barb. May the good Lord’s grace cover you mightily at this time. With love and deep sympathy, Tamam
John–Sally and I are deeply saddened by your loss. We pray that you and
your children and grandchildren will feel the comfort of the Lord as never
before during this difficult season of your lives.
Sincerely, Richard P. and Sally W. Edelman
Pastor John–I know your title is “doctor” now, but I prefer the title which
comes from a Higher Source.
Sally and I are deeply saddened by your loss. We pray that you and your
children and grandchildren will feel the comfort of the Lord as never
before during this difficult season of your lives.
In Christ Our Lord, Richard P. and Sally W. Edelman
I am so very sorry for your loss. Barbra is a wonderful woman of integrity and faith who touched so many lives.