Jeane Greenawalt Johnson
June 25, 1926-Feb. 2, 2024
Los Gatos, California
Submitted by Deanna Foster

Jeane Greenawalt Johnson died February 2nd 2024, at The Terraces in Los Gatos. She was 97.

Ms. Johnson was born on a farm near Princeton, Kansas, child of F. Ralph and Marie Greenawalt. The family relocated to a farm near Paola, Kansas. When she was in the seventh grade. She became a 4-H member, which piqued her interest in a home economics career. She graduated from Paola High School and then Kansas State University with a BS degree and later a BA from San Jose University, in her chosen fields of home economics and education. She received many honors including Mortar Board, Omicron Nu, Phi Kappa Phi, as well as scholarships.

She spent over two years as a home demonstration agent in western Kansas before accepting a similar position in Ventura County, CA. as 4-H home advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension Service

She was married in 1951 to Louis Bruce Johnson, a fellow Kansan and K-State engineering graduate. Four years later they moved from Oxnard, where her husband was employed at Point Mugu Naval Air Missile Test Center, to Portola Valley, CA. By this time two daughters were born to them.

She never lost her interest in young people, becoming a 4-H leader, judge at county and state fairs, and leader trainer. She also began teaching clothing construction classes to adults, first on a free-lance basis, then at the YWCA in Palo Alto and Cañada Community College in Redwood City.

She wrote extensively for her own classes and later was the author of three publications for teachers and students in her field of clothing. Ms. Johnson was known as an innovative, inspiring, and caring instructor.

Her early work in personal color, fashion, and wardrobe planning became college seminars in neighboring community colleges before she started her own business as an image consultant. She was a leader in her field, co-founding the Association of Image Consultants in the Bay Area, which later became an international organization. She was also active in other professional organizations, such as The Fashion Group, and Consumer Business Professionals.

She was an active member of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. Her church activities spanned her lifetime: choir, deacon, various committee and leading a Bible Study Group. She also volunteered at Hope House, a residential care center for women just out of jail, to overcome addictions.

She and her husband moved to The Terraces of Los Gatos in 2011 where they spent the last years of their lives. They were active participants in activities at The Terraces. Bruce died in 2019 after 67 years of married life. Survivors include daughters Wendy (AR) and Deanna Foster Godsoe (husband Tom Godsoe) of Ben Lomond, grandson Michael Foster (TX), sister Martha Miller (FL), a niece, and several nephews.

Tags: teacher/educator, business