Carmen Suzanne Johnson

Carmen Suzanne Johnson passed away peacefully in her family home June 29, 2013. She was 86. Carmen was born in Napa, California. In her youth she began her life-long love of music, playing the piano, French horn and trumpet. Her mother was born in Paris and taught Carmen to speak French. Upon graduation from Napa Union High School, Carmen began her nursing training in the Cadet Nurse Corps at San Franciscos French Hospital and later interned at the Marine Hospital. She moved to Seattle to continue her education at the University of Washington, where she later received her B.S. in Nursing. At UW Carmen met her beloved husband, Ray. They were married October 7, 1949 in Napa. After their honeymoon they drove to Alaska, where Ray was employed by the Alaska Road Commission. Carmen was a long-time resident of Edmonds, choosing it as a place to raise a family. In 1954 Carmen and Ray built a home overlooking Puget Sound where they raised their three children, Janette, Kristiana, and Curtis. Carmen loved Edmonds and served the community whenever she could. To raise money for Stevens Memorial Hospital she gave immunizations in a trailer at the hospital site with other nurses. Once the hospital was constructed, Carmen was active in the Bertha Schwartz hospital auxiliary. She served along with Ray as PTA president at Edmonds High School and later helped develop the Creative Retirement Institute. As an early resident of Edmonds, Carmen attended Hughes Memorial Methodist Church at Fifth and Dayton. Later she co-founded and led the Edmonds Candidates Fair at the Edmonds Methodist Church, retiring after 25 years of leadership. In 1990 Carmen participated in a Methodist mission to Liberia. Carmen was active in politics. She campaigned for numerous local and state candidates, lobbied in Olympia for medical and educational issues, and was elected precinct committee officer for the Republican party caucus. She was a dedicated member of the American Association of University Women and the DAR. Always adventurous, Carmen loved sports and travel. She hiked, fished and camped with her family throughout the Pacific Northwest. In 1958 she and Ray helped establish Klahaya Swim and Tennis Club where she won many a tennis trophy. She skied and volunteered with the Pacific Northwest Ski Association. In 1971 she took her first trip to Europe eager to visit her familys origins in Holland and France. Carmen will be missed by all those who loved her kind and fun-loving spirit. She is survived by her husband, Ray Johnson, her daughter Janette Johnson and her husband Reza Abbaschian of Riverside, California, her daughter Kristiana Johnson of Edmonds, and her son Curtis Johnson and his wife Terry Taylor of Bellevue; her grandchildren, Lara Abbaschian, Cyrus Abbaschian and his wife Gwen, Erik Johnson and Sarah Johnson; and her nephews Mike and Doug Parkins. A memorial service is planned for July 19 at 3 pm in the Chapel of the Edmonds Methodist Church, 828 Caspers Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 . Please share your memories of Carmen with her family at href=http://www.becksfuneralhome.com/ color: #000099www.becksfuneralhome.com Remembrances may be made to Evergreen Hospice. Announcement: Remembrances may be made to Evergreen Hospice. p