- Date Of Birth: December 21, 1931
- Date Of Death: July 17, 2022
- State: Colorado
We are blessed to celebrate, in memoriam, the earthly life of Barbara Jean (Hoffman) Johnson, born December 21st, 1931 – deceased July 17th, 2022
Barbara grew up in Michigan City, Indiana the youngest daughter of Otto and Amelia (Baetzel) Hoffman. She was raising 2 children from her previous marriage when she met and married Glen D. Johnson who passed in 2015, after 58 years of joyful marriage together.
Barbara was influenced and inspired by her musical family growing up, and the family she married into.
Barb and Glen raised 4 children at the family home in Starke County, Indiana next to the Kankakee River.
Barb and Glen moved to Punta Gorda, Florida for a while, after selling the family farm. This was followed by their permanent move to Colorado, where she and Glen both worked at the Transportation Test Center, Glen as a Locomotive Engineer, and Barb as a cook at the facility’s institutional dining area. By this time, they were known to their younger peers as Ma & Hoss, nicknames of endearment which they proudly claimed.
After retirement, Barb and Hoss (Glen) sold their home in Pueblo and traveled all over the U.S. for nearly half a decade in their 5th wheel trailer. This included extended summer stops in Indiana to spend time with family, and to get to know their grandkids. Eventually, they found their permanent home in Canon City, Colorado where they continued enjoying occasional group camping outings, events, and activities at “The Manor”, and trips to Cripple Creek for a shot at the “One Armed Bandits”, of which Barb had a pretty good run of successes playing over the years.
In 2020, an unexpected blessing came to Barbara, the discovery and reunion with a daughter, whom she had given up for adoption in 1954 (before her marriage to Glen). Her name was Cathy Jean, the first and shared middle name which Barbara had given to her the day Cathy was born.
Barbara is survived by son Rick D Johnson of Crystal, MI; daughter Cheryel L (Johnson) Parker of Canon City, CO; daughter Cathy J (Wark) Murphy of Valparaiso, IN; son Glen S Johnson of Valparaiso, IN; son Daniel L Johnson of Laporte, IN, as well as10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
As Barbara always expressed to everyone, next to her signature on cards and letters.
“Great Love!”
