Norma Hope Barr Johnston

Norma, a Knoxville resident for the last 37 years has completed her 101 year journey on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. Norma was born in Kansas City, Kansas to Robert Oliver Barr and Marie Lula Wilson on October 26, 1922. She lived in Wardner, Smelterville, Post Falls and Pinehurst Idaho, Vallejo, California, Spokane Valley, Lacrosse and Harrington and Onalaska Washington, Buckeye, Arizona and Knoxville, Tennessee. During her life she was a wife of 62 years to Ben E. Johnston, son of Charley Lewis Johnston and Emma Rose Lily. They were parents to Ben E. Jr, Allan Roy and Cecil. She was a waitress, our own Rosy The Riviter during WW II, a Rosauer’s meat wrapper, a business manager and house painter for J and M Construction Inc., a farmer, cattle and horsewoman, a Fuller Brush salesperson, an owner and operator of The Lad and Lassie, baby and children’s store, an owner and operator of The Osborne Lumber yard, a secretary for Pinehurst Water District, a house painter, a bookkeeper for The Marino Therapy Center Inc. and a caregiver. Norma completed 8 grades of education but was able to accomplish far more than what one would expect of a woman born into and raised in the difficult poverty of the Great Depression. She was an avid flower and vegetable gardener and a Worthy Matron of her Eastern Star Lodge. Her faith in Jesus Christ was her primary resource and was an inspiration for all who knew her. She was the last of her generation, the greatest generation. She will be fondly remembered as a family matriarch by the Barr, Wilson and Johnston family branches but remembered most by her two living children Ben and Allan and her 8 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. Family will receive friends on January 29, 2024 at 11:00 AM followed by a Chapel service at 12:00 pm Rose Funeral & Cremation - Mann, 6200 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN. Burial will be immediately following the Chapel service at 1:00 pm at the East Tennessee State Veteran’s Cemetery at 5901 Lyon’s View Pike, Knoxville TN. Norma requested any memorial gifts be given to Friends of Zion Museum, 20 Yosef Rivlin Street, Nahalat Shiv’a’ Jerusalem, Israel 9424017. Online condolences may be made at www.rosefuneraltn.com

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Norma Hope Barr Johnston

October 26, 1922 - January 16, 2024