Norita Jean Johnston

In Loving Memory of Norita Jean Johnston

With profound sorrow and hearts broken by her loss, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and matriarch, Norita Jean Johnston—affectionately known to so many as Rita.

Born June 29, 1937, to Lyle Arnold and Martha Martin, Norita was the heart of a large and beautiful family. She was the devoted mother of nine children and the foundation of generations built from the love she gave so freely. She worked hard throughout her life as a waitress, key-punch operator, and caregiver, always doing what she could to provide for and care for her family.

She is survived by her sisters, Hollie Morris and Carolyn Burgien; her brothers, Arthur Arnold and Allen Ashley; her children, Lila White, Lola Sarsfield, Lois McCain, Sam White, John White, James White, Roberta Watson, Edna Gardner, and Robert Foster; and her 23 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Dennis Arnold and Everett Arnold; her sisters, Kathryn McCormick, Julie Thompson, and Dorothy Lyon; her son, Lyle White; and her grandchildren, Andrea White, John White, and Shannon Swartz.

Norita was a woman of deep and unwavering faith. Her relationship with God was personal and sincere, and she lived her faith through compassion, forgiveness, strength, and the way she loved others.

Her heart and her home were always open. If you needed somewhere to go, there was room. If you were hungry, there was food. If you needed someone to listen, she would listen. She welcomed people exactly as they were.

To Norita, family was never defined only by blood. Family was something she created through love. If she opened her heart to you, you belonged there.

We will remember her strength, but we will also remember the wonderfully ordinary things that made her Grandma. She loved books, especially a good love story. She loved music and dancing, especially square dancing. She loved gathering around a table to play games—and if you sat down for a game of canasta, you had better be ready, because Grandma came to win.

She was a proud member of the Eagles and even bowled on a team called the Sad Sacks—little pieces of her life that remind us she knew how to work hard, have fun, and enjoy the people around her.

Those are the memories we will hold closest.

We will hear a song and think of her. We will gather around a table and remember her. We will tell her stories, laugh at the memories, and wish she were still beside us laughing along.

To her children, she was Mom.

To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was Grandma.

To so many others, she was a safe place, an open door, and a second home.

Norita’s life was measured not simply by the years she lived, but by the lives she touched, the love she gave, and the generations she helped create.

Her passing leaves a space no one can fill. But death cannot take the love she gave us.

Every time we open our home to someone who needs a place to belong, a little of Norita will be there. Every time we choose compassion over judgment, she will be there. Every time we gather as a family, share a story, turn up a song, dance, or get a little too competitive over cards, she will be there.

She leaves pieces of herself everywhere—and Norita left hers in all of us.

Rest peacefully, Norita.

Your faith carried you through this life.

Your love created generations.

Your kindness gave people a place to belong.

Your strength carried your family further than you ever knew.

Until we meet again, we will carry you with us—in our stories, our laughter, our families, and in the way we love one another.

You were loved more deeply than words could ever say, and you will be missed for the rest of our lives.

Special Thanks

Our deepest gratitude goes to Brianna Garcia, Denise Garcia, Karina Fernandez, and Jose Fernandez (Jr.) for the love, compassion, care, and support they gave Norita and our family.

We would also like to thank MultiCare Memorial Hospice for their support.