SHIRLEY N. JOHNSEN, 81, formerly of Sedro-Woolley, passed away on Monday, August 11, 2008, at her home at the Creekside Retirement Community in Burlington.
She was born in Friday Harbor, Washington on January 6, 1927 and moved with her family from Lopez Island to Bellingham, and later to the Goshen community where she attended local elementary and middle schools, including one year at the Campus School. Shirley graduated from Mount Baker High School in Deming and then attended one year of business school in Seattle.
In 1946 she was united in marriage to Robert K. Johnsen of Mount Vernon and they made their home in Mount Vernon while he attended Skagit Valley College, Western Washington College and as he began his teaching career in Clear Lake.
They later moved to Boistfort, WA, where Bob was a teaching principal and where their daughter was born in 1954. From there they moved to Belfair, WA, where he was the Superintendent of the North Mason School District and Shirley spent time as an active volunteer in the Children’s Orthopedic Society and the local Garden Club. Shirley followed Bob as his career took him to Buckley in 1964, where their son was born, and then to Sedro-Woolley and Oak Harbor, where she was an active volunteer in the local hospital guild.
Throughout her life she enjoyed traveling the world with Bob, hosting exchange students from many countries in their home, cooking, gardening and spending time with family and friends. She loved being a homemaker, and was a great cook and loved cooking fresh foods gathered from her garden, from the beach and from the woods. While a major acute subdural hematoma in 2007 slowed her down, it didn’t stop her and she enjoyed the last year and a half of her life at Creekside. She will be missed.
Shirley is survived by her son, Rob Johnsen and his wife Deb of Boise, Idaho; her daughter, Kris Johnsen and husband John Braden of Seattle; two grandchildren, Stephen Johnsen of Deer Park, WA and Kayla Johnsen of San Diego, CA and two step-grandchildren, Will and Anna Braden of Seattle. Two sisters, Beverly Johnson and husband Pete of Fortuna, CA and Ilora Green of Port Angeles. A brother-in-law, Bill Johnsen and wife Mary Lou of Prescott, AZ and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bob, her sister Gaytha Knutson and her brother Wayne Y. Ensign.
No services are planned at her request. The family suggests memorials be made to Children’s Hospital Foundation, PO Box 50020 / S-200, Seattle, WA 98145.