Death of Eva Marie Johnson, former missionary to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Paraguay, Costa Rica, and Mexico

1923-2013

Global Ministries was saddened to learn of the death of Eva Marie Johnson on Sunday, April 21, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona. 

Eva Marie Johnson was born on February 10, 1923, to parents, Barnett and Marie Johnson, on the family homestead at Heglar, Idaho, the fifth of nine children.  Her early childhood was spent helping on the ranch where she enjoyed riding horseback both for recreation and as a means of transportation to a one room school house.  Attending high school required moving to Burley, Idaho, and working for room and board.  While there, she became involved in the Christian Church and Christian Endeavor.  Eva Marie graduated from Northwest Christian College with a Bachelor of Theology and also from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Arts.  She received two Masters Degrees from the University of Indiana and completed post graduate studies at both Yale and Princeton.

In 1949, Eva Marie returned to Burley to be ordained as a minister of the Disciples of Christ Christian Church before leaving on her first mission assignment to what today is the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.  She served there for three years followed by mission work in Paraguay and Costa Rica.  Eva Marie’s next service work was as Hospital Administrator at the newly constructed Hope Hospital in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where she remained for 28 years.  Throughout her career, Eva Marie was always very interested in languages and taught English in various locations in Mexico.  Returning to the United States, Eva Marie began teaching Speech, English, and Bible Studies at Presbyterian Pan American School in Kingsville, Texas, in 1991. 

Eva Marie’s life’s work was dedicated to the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She retired in the San Diego area and then eventually to Glendale.  Eva Marie was preceded in death by all her siblings with the exception of one sister and is survived by several in-laws, nieces, and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Larkspur Christian Church, 3302 W Larkspur Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85029-2241.