Jean Johnson
Amy Jean Abersold Johnson – Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2021 at 4:23pm in Provo, Utah, from respiratory complications related to lung cancer. She was born on April 16, 1935 in Berkeley, California to John Narvel Abersold and Ruth Eloise Grover (both deceased).
Jean is preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Rollin Johnson, her two children Amy Elizabeth Johnson and Stephen Narvel Johnson, and her sister Louise Abersold Merrill. She is survived by her sister Marie Abersold Wood, 6 children (Joel Richards Johnson, Amy Rebecca Johnson Sears, Rollin Grover Johnson, Tristan Everett Johnson, Aaron Janse, Ruth Ann Johnson Platt), 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
When Jean was born, her parents lived in Albany, California which is a neighboring city to Berkeley, California. The family lived in this area while Jean’s father was attending the University of California at Berkeley earning his PhD in Biochemistry. In 1945 her family moved to Salt Lake City and lived in a family home owned by her grandmother, Amy Elizabeth Grover, which John and Ruth Abersold eventually purchased. This home (see picture) was built and owned by J.C. Penney, the founder of the J.C. Penney department store. In 1950 her family moved to El Paso, Texas where she graduated from El Paso High School in 1953.
Jean attended Brigham Young University on a full viola performance music scholarship from 1953-1955. In 1955, she transferred to the University of Utah on a full viola performance music scholarship and graduated in 1958 with a Bachelors in Elementary Education and a Bachelors in Viola Performance. Starting when she was studying at BYU, Jean was appointed as a violist in the Utah Symphony by Music Director Maurice Abravanel and played with them until she left Utah in 1959.
In the summer of 1959 after graduating, Jean attended an orchestra conducting program in Monterey, California. While there, she met her future husband, Doug, on July 5. Doug was previously drafted into the United States Army and assigned to Fort Ord, California (Monterey Bay Area). After meeting, they were engaged on July 9 and subsequently married on September 15, 1959, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Mesa Arizona Temple.
In 1963, Doug graduated from the University of Utah and was commissioned as an officer into the United States Air Force. During their married life, Doug and Jean lived in numerous places including Wyoming, Texas, California, Maryland, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. After raising 6 children, Jean retired from teaching music in the El Paso public schools and teaching privately. She joined Doug who was already retired from lifelong service to the United States Military, including service as an officer in the U. S. Air Force reaching the rank of Major followed by service on the draft board in the U. S. Air Force Reserves. He served the remainder of his career in civil service to the Department of Defense as a cost analyst.
Jean served, with her eternal companion Doug, several missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their first assignment together was at the Mesa Arizona Regional Family History Center for 5 years (1997-2001). Doug and Jean were then called as the Directors of the Mount Timpanogos Family History Center in American Fork, Utah and served there together for almost 5 years (2002-2007).
Jean’s musical interests began by learning the violin at four-years old. She said that she loved her little violin. At five, she fell in love with piano lessons. She had lessons in Berkeley and recitals in San Francisco. After moving to SLC, she won a talent contest at Bryant Jr. High in 1948 playing a Chopin Waltz. She was asked on KDYL TV what she wanted to do and she announced that her “greatest desire was to become a concert pianist.” But from a lack of needed instruction and frustrations, she began studying the viola at El Paso High School in 1950.
Even after starting the viola, she continued to study the piano and became an accomplished pianist. She studied piano for 20 years with artist teachers such as Reid Nibley at the University of Utah and with Antoinette Melignani at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. when Jean was 37 to 39 years old. She taught piano for more than 20 years averaging 35 students per week. But her most significant commitment to piano teaching was in D.C. where she had many as 50 piano students per week. Jean soloed numerous times including recitals as well as for church and house concerts. She also took pride in being a highly skilled accompanist, performing with her children on many occasions and for intimate musical venues including the El Paso Pro-Musica.
She began her viola studies at age 16 in El Paso, Texas and then began playing in the El Paso Symphony in her junior and senior years of high school. After she started college, she then began playing with the Utah Symphony at age 19. She studied 14 years with Abraham Chavez from the El Paso Symphony, 5 years with Sally Peck from the Utah Symphony, and 3 years with Ron Arron in Washington D.C., during which she would travel with him and other members of various military string orchestras to commute to and play in the Richmond Symphony.
She moved several times with her beloved husband Doug and her children during his military career. She was always fortunate to be able to perform with all the symphony orchestras in the cities which they lived—something Doug endeavored to support her with after she left the Utah Symphony thereby enabling her to be active with her career and be able to move around with him during his military career. Between 1954 and 2017 she performed with orchestras including the Utah Symphony, the El Paso Symphony (over 20 years), the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra (TX), the Richmond Symphony (VA), the Ridgecrest Symphony (CA), the Sun City Symphony (AZ), and the Mount Timpanogos Symphony (UT). During her long orchestral career, she performed with many of the greatest soloists of the 20th Century including Jascha Heifetz, Glenn Gould, Michael Rabin, Itzhak Perlman, Zara Nelsova, and Aaron Rosand.
In part because of necessity, Jean taught orchestra in public schools for 25 years: Granite (UT), Ysleta (TX) and El Paso (TX) Districts, 2nd and 3rd grades in Virginia.
Jean and Doug were determined to share a tradition of music with their children and extended family. Doug loved to simply sit and listen to Jean play the piano as well as to listen to his children practice and perform. In retirement, Doug would make a point to drive Jean to and from her rehearsals in Arizona and Utah. They would often hold recitals in their home that would feature Jean as well as their children.
Jean was a driven and devoted mother and grandmother. In some of her last written words she wrote, “I wanted to enrich the lives of you, my children by being an example in serving our communities and church in many capacities.” And to her grandchildren she wrote, “I hope in some way my life will be an example to you my dear grandchildren, and that it will inspire you to work harder, be more focused, more discipline, and more serious in all you do. With the help of our Heaven Father, you CAN reach the stars in your music/art and other worthy pursuits.”
At the viewings and funeral service, masks and social distancing will be required.
A viewing for family and friends will be held, Friday, April 9, 2021 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 North 900 East, American Fork, Utah.
A family viewing will be held, Saturday, April 10. 2021 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. followed by the funeral services at 11:00 a.m., both held at the Manila Creek 7th Ward Chapel, 1320 West 3540 North, Pleasant Grove, Utah. The funeral services will be streamed lived at https://workmansuccess.zoom.us/j/94487594584?pwd=K0wzdGxWSjl3VzV4SFlGZ1ozU2g2QT09 (Zoom Meeting ID: 944 8759 4584, Meeting Passcode 560664)
Following the funeral service, the interment will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the City Cemetery located at 400 East 400 North, Nephi, Utah.