Christine E. Johnson

Christine Eleanor (Jelinek) Johnson passed away at the age of 98 on January 23, 2020 at Granite County Medical Center in Philipsburg, Montana. At the time of her passing and throughout her life, she was dedicated to her family, faith, and friendships. Chris was born March 29, 1921 in Miles City, Montana to Frank and Christina (Kopriva) Jelinek. She was the youngest of six children. Chris attended Lincoln Elementary School and Ursuline Academy before graduating from Custer County High School in 1938. Throughout her life, Chris enjoyed wonderful memories of her school-age years. After high school, Chris worked as a stenographer in the office of the Farm Security Administration in Forsyth before transferring to their office in Columbus. She was introduced to her husband Wilford (Ford) Johnson by her sister Dorothy while on a weekend visit in Billings. Ford, a graduate of Montana State College, was employed as an accountant by the Independent Refining Company in Billings. Chris and Ford were married on November 25, 1942. Ford was stationed at Gore Field in Great Falls, and with orders to deploy, Chris and her father traveled by train to Great Falls where she and Ford were married. In 1944, Chris and infant daughter Karen moved to Miles City to be near family and friends while Ford continued his service in the Army Air Corps. Following Ford's discharge from overseas duty in 1945, the new family moved to the Johnson Tuning Fork Ranch south of Hall in the Flint Creek Valley. There they raised three children and took great pride in their ranching operation. Chris was an active parishioner of St. Michael Church in Drummond until she moved to Philipsburg in 2013. She was both proud of and grateful for her association with Alcoholics Anonymous. For many years after achieving her own sobriety in 1982, she led weekly meetings in Drummond and Deer Lodge and served on advisory boards addressing addiction. Many current and past residents of the Tri-County area credit Chris with helping them turn their lives around. Chris also was a member of the Granite County Cattlewomen and the Granite County Republican Central Committee, and together, she and Ford were active in the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Livestock Ag Credit, Montana Livestock Commission and Sanitary Board, and Montana Farm Bureau. Chris never stopped making friends, and her family would say her favorite thing to do was visit. She maintained close contact with family and friends around the country, and she corresponded faithfully by letter with many. Her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandson knew her love unconditionally, and she was genuinely interested in their activities. Her love of life was an inspiration to many, and she was a source of positivity for generations of family and countless friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and five brothers and sisters: Sylvia, Paul, Dorothy, Gilbert and Charles. Survivors include daughter Karen (Pete) DesRosier of Drummond, son Charles (Shelley) of Hall, and daughter Susan Wolff of Great Falls. Grandchildren are Kyle (Debra) Fickler of Tonganoxie, Kansas; Wade Fickler (Brian Kurth) of Denver, Colorado; Katherine Christine (Wayne) Carmichael of Bellingham, Washington; Scott Wolff of Shelley, Idaho; Cooper (Cat) Johnson of Hall; Krista Johnson (Paul Arcangeli) of Missoula; and Andrew (Heidi) DesRosier of Dickinson, North Dakota. Great-grandchildren are Destiny Kathlynn Christine Spoon, Burgandie and Eamon Carmichael, Danika Fickler, Reid and Leo Arcangeli, and Gibson and Scout Christine DesRosier. She also is survived by one great-great-grandson, Liam Spoon, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. Visitation and a vigil service will be on Friday, February 7th at 7:00 PM at St. Michael Catholic Church in Drummond. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Michael in Drummond on Saturday, February 8th at 11:00 AM with Rev. Rudolph Bullman as celebrant. There will be one hour of visitation prior to the service. Interment will follow at Valley Cemetery south of Drummond. Please join the family for a catered luncheon at the Community Hall in Drummond following the service at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts to Granite County Medical Foundation at PO Box 401, Philipsburg, MT 59858 or to St. Michael Parish at PO Box 329, Drummond, MT 59832.

Vigil

FEB 7. 7:00 PM (MST)

St. Michael's Catholic Church 12 E. Broad St. Drummond, MT 59832

Visitation

FEB 8. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (MST)

St. Michael's Catholic Church 12 E. Broad St. Drummond, MT 59832

Mass of Christian Burial

FEB 8. 11:00 AM (MST)

St. Michael's Catholic Church 12 E. Broad St. Drummond, MT 59832