Lydia Johnson

Our beloved Lydia Joyce Johnson went to heaven on Monday, October 1st surrounded by friends and family. A devout Catholic and pillar of the Wapato community, she will be missed dearly by all who loved her and whose lives she touched throughout her 98 years. Lydia was born in Wapato on May 25, 1920, to Egbert French and Isabelle Craig French. She was a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation with other tribal lineage with the Yakama, Cayuse, and Nez Perce, and spent most of her life in Wapato on the Yakama Reservation. Lydia enjoyed a long and wonderful marriage to Isadore B. Johnson (1951-1998), a member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, for 47 years. Lydia was a Registered Nurse working in Seattle and Yakima, receiving a B.S. in Nursing from Seattle University, B.A. in Psychology (Art minor) from Central Washington State University, and her M.A. in Adult Education from Fort Wright College. She worked in various nursing and teaching capacities for the Indian Health Service, Yakama Nation Programs, and as an instructor in Yakima. Lydia was devoted to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. She traveled annually to the Kateri Tekakwitha conferences, and at age 92 traveled to Rome, Italy, with the Yakima Diocese to witness her canonization as the first Native American Catholic Saint by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. She was a member of the Kateri Ministry in Spokane, founded the Kateri Tekakwitha Circle of the Yakama Indian Reservation, and founded the Northwest Kateri Tekakwitha Spiritual Center providing land for the Blessed Kateri Village-Farmworker and Workforce Housing and Kateri Lane in Wapato. She was an Associate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, the Ladies Altar Society, Catholic Charities, the Ladies Auxiliary to Veterans of Foreign Wars, and her local democratic organizations. Lydia was also a talented artist and founded the Spilyay Arts and Crafts Club. She loved cats, baking, sewing, meeting new people and traveling the world with her late-husband. Every year since she was a child, she attended the Pendleton Round-Up and camped in the Indian Village. Lydia is preceded in death by her husband Isadore B. Johnson; her mother and father, Isabelle and Egbert French; her siblings Amanda Watlamet, Beatrice French, Ione Watlamet, Ruth Butler, Joan Goudy, Thomas French and Francis French; and nephews and nieces: Raymond Pimms, Pamela Watlamet, Stephen Watlamet, Patty Ann Butler, Bert Butler, and Adrian Hamilton. Lydia is survived by her sister Rosemary Pimms of Seattle; her nieces and nephews listed by family: The Pimms (Byron, Beatrice (Keith) Lorimor, Richard, Vicki); The Watlamets (Alyne (Gary) DeCoteau, Patrick, Cheryl (Charley) Scott, Craig, and Rick (Kim)); and The Butlers (Edward and Lauren); her grandnieces and nephews: Hollyanna (Jeff) Littlebull, Wade (Cindy) DeCoteau, Aja (Raffaele) DeCoteau, Bernadine (Redfern) Mardel, Eugene Andy, Jr., Joseph Watlamet, Rose (Daniel) Roberts, Charlee Scott, Patrick Watlamet, Jr., Shawn Watlamet, Troy Watlamet, Brant Watlamet, Samantha Watlamet, Lydia Butler-Smith, Amenda Butler-Smith, Joseph Thomas, Sara Butler, Lawrence Butler, Jeremy Watlamet, Victor Watlamet, Jonathan Watlamet, and Aaron and Adreanne Hamilton; Numerous great-grandnieces and nephews; Isadore’s family on the Ft. Peck Assiniboine Sioux reservation; Special friends: Dorothy McDonald, Arlene DeRuyter, Alan Quantrelle, Leona Smartlowit, Phyllis Hooper, Stella Vasquez, Vera Schaf, Bonnie Jo Hunt, Jennie Honanie, Dovie Thrasher, the Sisters and Associates of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, Fr. John Shaw, Fr. Bill Shaw, Fr. Mike Fitzpatrick, Myrna Tovey, and Rose Hoptowit. Special thanks to: staff of Foster Retirement Center (esp. Tim), Memorial Hospice Staff, staff of Toppenish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, and the Kateri Tekakwitha Circle. Our deepest apologies if we missed anyone who knew and loved Lydia dearly and was not listed. Lydia’s viewing will be held at Valley Hills Funeral Home in Wapato on Friday, October 5th, from 3:00-6:30 pm with the Rosary beginning at 5:30 pm. Funeral services will begin at 10 am at St. Peter Claver Church in Wapato on Saturday, October 6th, followed by the burial at Abraham Cemetery in White Swan. A celebration of life dinner will begin at 1 pm in the Kateri Hall at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in White Swan. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lydia Johnson, please visit our flower store.