Corinne L. Johnson

Corinne L. Johnson, 81, of St. Joseph, passed away, Friday, December 28, 2012 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 A.M. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 211 Church St., St. Joseph, with Fr. James Morris officiating. Burial will follow at Hickory Bluff Cemetery, Stevensville. Friends may call from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Wednesday at Starks & Menchinger Chapel 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Liturgical Prayers recited at 7:00 P.M. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church. Those wishing to sign Corinne’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Corinne was born July 16, 1931 in Portageville, Missouri to Charles & Linnie Lee (Burch) Ellis. She graduated from Benton Harbor High School, Class of 1947. After high school, Corinne was employed for several years at V-M Corp. in Benton Harbor. On September 10, 1960, she married William E. Johnson in Montrose, California. She devoted her life to caring for her husband and raising her family. Later she was employed part-time as a secretary for St. Joseph Catholic Church, where she was a member. Corinne enjoyed the time spent, and her friends at St. Joseph-Lincoln Senior Center, reading, tending to her flower gardens, and especially cooking Sunday & holiday dinners for her family and the time spent with them. Corinne is survived by two sons-Michael (Lisa) Johnson of Saugatuck, Bradley Johnson of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; five grandchildren-Nikki Rae Guy, Cameron Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Natalie Johnson, & Jacqueline Johnson; her brother Robert (Dorothy) Ellis of Benton Harbor; her sister Ruby Chism of Waco, TX; brothers-in-law & sister-in-law-Kenneth Johnson, Dolores (William) Frantz & Richard Johnson, all of St. Joseph; and numerous nieces & nephews. Corinne was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William on August 11, 2007, two sisters-Lucille Glass & Arlee Hankins, and a brother Raymond Ellis.