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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Sad News: Ellen Johnson

We're very sad to convey the news of Ellen Johnson's sudden passing. She had a stroke (the first notice we received said heart attack) on the airplane while flying to Southeast Asia on vacation Dec. 28, two days after her 69th birthday. The plane delivered her to Vladivostok, made an emergency landing Russia. One of her sons was able to fly there to be with her before she died in the hospital in Khabarovsk (Siberia) on Jan. 2, 2011, without regaining consciousness.

Ellen danced with us for many years, and will be sorely missed.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 2:00pm, at the Dupage Unitarian Universalist Church, 4 S 535 Old Naperville Rd, Naperville, IL 60563.

Obituary in Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette 

Obituary in Naperville Sun


One of Ellen's favorite dances:
Share Gori more by Zeljko Sasic

3 comments:

Anne on the move said...

No words for how much she will be missed. Heart felt condolences to all of her family and circle of friends.

Unknown said...

I am saddened. Although I knew her only during folk dancing between 1968 and 1973, her image is still with me as a very fine person. Deepest condolences.
Fuat INCE, Istanbul, Turkey

Unknown said...

No Ellen, I'm very shocked reading this ubelievable news. I just woke up at 4:30Am Western Indoesian Time in my village in Bandabaru, Biaro, Bukittiggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia when I opened Mary Cattell's email regarding your departure. Ellen; Paul,and David, I was still planning to visit you in Naperville, but hopelessly it's impossible to see Ellen, my long standing friend. To my friends in Urbana as well as in Chicago my folkdance activities in the era of 1967-75 I express our sadness with this sad news and imagine that I would be presence with you all to express our sadness in the funeral service.

Bon Boyage Ellen ...

Sjamsir Sjarif