Mary Jean Purinton Johnson

Mary Jean Purinton Johnson went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on February 3, 2018 at the age of 100.

Mary was born June 29, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois to Wallace S. Purinton and Ollie B. Goodwin Purinton. She was a pastor’s daughter who moved whenever her father was called to a new church. Places she lived were Chicago, Illinois; Stockton, Illinois; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Ogden, Utah.  But Mary considered Danville, Illinois her hometown.  She lived there while her father was the Pastor of Danville First Church of the Nazarene from 1926-1941.

She graduated from Danville High School in 1936. She attended Olivet in Olivet, Illinois but due to the fire there, graduated from the new Olivet College Campus in Bourbonnais, Illinois in 1940.

Mary’s first teaching job was at Brown School, a one room school near Danville.  She had 7 students all in different grades.  Then she moved to Glen Ellyn, Illinois where she taught English at Glen Ellyn Junior High School where she had 4 classes with 35 students in each class!! Through the years Mary has kept in contact with several students from Brown School and Glen Ellyn Jr. High speaking to some of them in the last few months.

She met her future husband, C.A. Richard Johnson in Glen Ellyn. He was also a teacher at the Junior High. They were married in August of 1947.  Mary became busy raising four daughters and occasionally substitute teaching. She was involved in her church and she lived out her faith, actively befriended women and families in need in her community. For many years she opened her home for Child Evangelism classes reaching children in the neighborhood with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

In 1974 she and Richard and their youngest daughter Susan moved to Bourbonnais, Illinois adjacent to the Olivet Nazarene University Campus. Richard passed away in 1982. She returned to Danville sometime after his death.

In 2013 Mary moved from Danville, Illinois to Leo, Indiana to live with her daughter Judy and son-in-law David Roth. In 2014 they all moved to Indianapolis, Indiana.

In June 2017, Mary turned 100 years old and celebrated with a birthday party in July at Danville First Church where she was given the Nazarene Heritage Award. She was totally surprised and was thrilled to received this honor.

Mary was a much-loved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many who loved her.

She is survived by daughters Judith (David) Roth, Virginia (William) Stieren, Jean (Amory) Boyce, and Susan (Brian) Hess-Decorie; 18 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and brother Paul (Barbara) Purinton.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband C.A. Richard Johnson; son Martin Johnson; grandson Austin Boyce; great-grandson Daniel Roth; parents Dr. W.S. Purinton and Ollie B. Purinton; brothers Wallace Purinton, Jr. and Joseph Purinton; and sister Olive Purinton Rumbarger.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11 AM Thursday, February 15 with visitation 10 AM until the time of service at Danville First Church of the Nazarene, 2212 N. Vermilion St, Danville, IL. Mary will be laid to rest during a private service at Momence Cemetery in Momence, IL.

Family requests no flowers. Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to Danville First Church of the Nazarene, 2212 N. Vermilion St, Danville, IL 61832 or to Advancement Services, Olivet Nazarene University, One University Ave, Bourbonnais, IL 60914-9937 and note in the memo section “Dr. W.S. Purinton Scholarship”.