Obituary of Evelyn Johnson Page

EVELYN JOHNSON PAGE Evelyn Johnson was born April 25, 1925, on a farm on the shores of Lake Dauphin near the town of Dauphin, Manitoba. She passed away peacefully in her Portland, Oregon home on September 11, 2012. She was the fourth of five children of Stuart and Ethel Elliott Johnson. Shortly after her birth, the family returned to the United States, settling in Hubbard, Oregon. After Evelyn finished the second grade the family moved to Salem, where she attended Grant Elementary, Parrish Junior High and then graduated from Salem High School in 1943. While in high school she placed second in the state piano music competition. She attended Willamette University, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi, graduating in the Class of 1947. Following college she worked as a mortgage loan closer until she married Richard M. Page in 1954. They had first met in junior high school. Their first home was in San Francisco where they lived until they returned to Portland in 1957. Their daughter, Martha, was soon born and Evelyn filled her life with the joy of being a mom, a Camp Fire leader, a school and church volunteer and the family caregiver. She served as an officer in several PTA's and then as President of the Portland Chapter of the University of Puget Sound Parent's Club. Later, she worked with learning disabled children at OACLD in a secretarial and then in an Information and Referral role. She was a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club, active in the committee system, and in 1993 was the first female recipient of the McAlpin Award. In 1989 she joined the Assistance League of Portland and remained active until this last year. In 1999 she received the Amy Edwards Laughlin Award. Evelyn was active in the Discover OHSU! Program and served as a tour guide for over 16 years. In 2005 she was given the Guiding Spirit Award. She is survived by her husband, her daughter Martha Gazeley, her son-in-law Mark, her two beloved grandchildren Andrew and Elizabeth, and by seven nieces and nephews. Evelyn was pre-deceased by her daughter Julie Diane Page, by her parents, and by her four siblings Eleanor, Elliott, Edward and Edmund. A Celebration of Life will be held at Valley Community Presbyterian Church, on Saturday, September 22, at 1:30PM. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Church's Children's Music Fund, to Providence St. Vincent Medical Foundation for the Travis and Beverly Cross Guest Housing, or to the Assistance League of Portland. Service Information