Ilet Jane Johnson

October 1, 1923 - August 3, 2015

In Loving Memory Ilet Jane Johnson 1923 ~ 2015 On the early morning of August 3, 2015, Ilet passed away peacefully. Ilet was being visited and comforted by family members at Brookdale Assisted Living Facility in Newberg, OR at the time of her passing. Ilet was 91 years old. Ilet spent her childhood on a farm near Max, North Dakota, a small community with many eastern European immigrants. She fastidiously avoided farm work, leaving that to her older brother and four sisters. She did, however, establish her lifelong interest in music while a young child singing "Barney Google" for candy bars to the delight of her sisters' friends. Following this successful start of her singing avocation, she attended Minot State Teachers College where she learned a more formal approach to music. Thus began a lifelong passion for singing in church choirs as well as directing some of those choirs. Ilet also enjoyed playing her piano. Ilet followed her studies at Minot State with a teaching career at North Dakota schools in the towns of Devils Lake, De Lacs, Makoti, and Crosby. Ilet and Ed brought their young family to Newberg, Oregon in 1960. Ilet received a Bachelor of Science degree from Portland State University. Several years later Ilet resumed teaching at Edwards school, followed by twenty years at Mabel Rush. Ilet was a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church during her 55 years in Newberg. She particularly enjoyed her numerous rewarding years singing in the church choir. Ilet was also an avid reader and enjoyed her years of volunteer work at the Newberg Library. Her other hobby was gardening. Ilet never lost her delight for the bounty of trees, shrubs and flowers that grow here, compared to her native Great Plains. Ilet was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin, and two sons, Timothy and Bradley. Ilet is survived by two sons, Ed and Kirk and one daughter, Gretchen, daughter-in-law Kathy, and two step-grandsons, Robert and Jeffrey. Thank you to Brookdale Newberg Assisted Living staff for the loving care and diligent care given to Ilet over the past three years. Thank you to Ryan S. Griffiths, M.D. for his untiring efforts and kindness in assisting Ilet. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 15, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in First Presbyterian Church, 501 Mission Drive, Newberg, OR. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of choice in Ilet's name. Arrangements are in the care of Attrell's Newberg Funeral Chapel. Online condolences may be made to www.attrells.com