Carol Johnson

Carol Ann Johnson, 71, passed away April 9th in the presence of her loving family after facing pancreatic cancer with courage and perseverance.

Carol was born September 27th, 1952 to Al and Chiyoko Schmidt. She attended Chisago Lakes High School where she met her husband, Reid. They both graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth where Carol earned a degree in Speech and Language Pathology. She taught for 30+ years in the New Richmond, WI school district with a devotion to her students and colleagues that led to lifelong friendships.

After her retirement, she reveled in the lives of her grandchildren -- traveling to their events, sharing vacations together, and finding joy in time spent with them. When initially diagnosed, her oncologist asked her to describe her hopes and she simply stated through teary eyes, "I have ten grandchildren and I'd like to see them grow up." Her unwavering desire to spend time with them led her to beat the odds and defeat the awful disease for more than 5 years. The joy they brought her was easily reciprocated-her "grands" adore her.

Through treatment she was able to travel with her family to many places, a highlight was visiting her mother's hometown in southern Japan. She was proud of her Japanese heritage and loved the beauty of cherry blossoms. Watching her journey through Japan amidst illness and chemotherapy to achieve a lifelong goal of walking among the blooming cherry trees was an inspiration. That she did so with a smile and full of joy will be a memory we will cherish all our days.

Carol is survived by her husband of 49 years, Reid, her children Ben (Justine) Johnson, Sara (Lancer) Lumby, Krista (Nathan) Gossai; her beloved grandchildren, Maxwell, Lillianna and Piper Johnson, Cohen, Cavan and Calla Lumby and Annika, Maren, Clara and Brita Gossai; her siblings Sandy (Dan) Moody and Tom (Holly) Schmidt and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Al and Chiyoko Schmidt.

A private family service will be held from 3-4 pm with a public celebration of life to follow from 4-7 pm on April 17th at Bradshaw Funeral Home, 2800 Curve Crest Blvd in Stillwater, MN.

In lieu of memorials, the family requests donations to the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center. This is where Carol received her chemotherapy and care for over five years. We would specifically like to thank Dr. Gregory Beilman, Dr. Edward Greeno, Dr. Joeseph Ardolf and their care teams who provided exceptional and compassionate care throughout Carol's treatment. Our family's hope is that your donation will be put to work finding a cure for this horrible disease.

Donations: Digestive/Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Fund (umn.edu)