Mary Johnson

"Every time a bell rings an angel gets her wings." Mary Louise (Garofalo) Johnson gained her angel wings at 12:29pm on December 24, 2020, Christmas Eve day, surrounded by her loving husband of 52 years, Gary, and daughters Angie Johnson, Yvette (Lynn) Burnham and Nikki (Jeff) Schmidt. Beloved grandma of Jacob, Zachary, Kayla, Patrick, Kariann, Kasondra, Kaycee, Jordan, Griffin and Quinn; great-grandma to Otto, Olivia and Oskar.

Mary was born in St. Paul the oldest of 15 living on Goodrich Avenue and a graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy class of 1966. Gary was in the Air Force and the family lived in San Antonio, TX, Boston, Massachusetts, and Lubbock, Texas; moving back to Minnesota in 1978 to be closer to family. She joins her parents, Mathew and Marie Garofalo, sister Paula (Garofalo) Baldwin, and nephews Mark Weber and TJ Kowalski in heaven. She will be missed by her 13 siblings, Patrick (Debra) Garofalo, Jean (Michael) Gibbons, Christine (Timothy) Kowalski, Illean (Dennis) Weber, Maureen (Erick) Erickson, Kathleen (Robert) Pedersen, James Garofalo, Paul (Vikki) Garofalo, Anthony Garofalo, Marco (Kathy) Garofalo, Joseph (Janice) Garofalo, John Garofalo and Peter Garofalo, her brother-in-law Bob Johnson, 36 nieces and nephews, 68 great-nieces and nephews.

After the birth of her youngest child in 1975, Mary set out on a professional career starting at Conwed as a personnel clerk. Under the guidance of her favorite mentor Warren E. Olson, she advanced to Manager of Benefits and later landed at First Trust (now US Bank) as a Trust Officer; her career ended around the year 2000 when it was no longer possible for her to work due to health issues. She and Gary retired to Florida for several years and recently moved back to Minnesota to be closer to family. Sadly, she recently contracted bacterial pneumonia after a battle with COVID, which took her too soon at the age of 72.

Christmas was her favorite holiday of the year and it's only fitting that we'll remember her every Christmas, forever. Mary would want EVERYONE celebrating her; it can be no other way.

Funeral Mass at 11 AM Tuesday August 3, 2021, visitation 1 hour prior, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church 398 W. Superior St. St. Paul, MN 55102. Burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Thursday August 5, 2021 11 AM (Assembly Area 6)