February 26, 2020 at 10:17 p.m.
Barbara Sue (Thayer) Johnson, 71, of Hope
Barbara Sue (Thayer) Johnson, 71 of Hope, died Tuesday Feb. 25, 2020 at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.
Born March 9, 1948 in Bartholomew County, Barb was the daughter of Thomas L. and Mary G. Scott Thayer. She married Edward Johnson June 9, 1986 and he survives.
Barb is also survived by children, Amy Jines (Bruno Russo) of Folgensbourg, France, Allison (Bryan) Clay of Hope, Gary (Monica) Johnson of Fort Wayne and Bill (Paige) Johnson of Hope; grandchildren, Clay and Gram Johnson, Sam and Ben Johnson, Hannah Pruden and Peyton Clay; sisters, Linda (Dennis) Herron of Columbus and Susan Thayer-Fye of Hope; one niece and four nephews.
Barb retired as an elementary teacher at Hope Elementary in 2003.
She was a member of Hope Moravian Church, Kill Kare Klub, BARTA and the Retired Teachers Association.
She had served in various leadership roles with the Yellow Trail Museum since 1984, including director and being elected as president earlier this month. She took a great interest in the development of the Yellow Trail Letter Carrier’s Museum. She was instrumental in the restoration and relocation of the Simmons One-Room Schoolhouse, and served as a Simmons School marm. Barb was a historian for the Town of Hope and shared her knowledge of history to children when she was sponsor of Hope Little Hoosiers.
She received the Sagamore of the Wabash award for her efforts to restore and to preserve the schoolhouse, served as the Hope Heritage Days grand marshal and received the Edna V. Folger Outstanding Teacher Award. She was chosen as an outstanding alumni of Hauser High School in 2015, and as The Republic’s 2016 Woman of the Year. In 2018, she received the Hubert Hawkins Local History Award from the Indiana Historical Society.
She played an important role in the development and implementation of many Hope community events, such as the Old-Fashioned Independence Day, Christmas of Yesteryear and Civil War Days.
Barb enjoyed her community involvement but most of all loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and the cousin lunches.
There will be a celebration of life for Barb in the form of an open house Friday at the main Hauser Gym from 2 to 6 p.m. A private inurnment will be at a later date at Hope Moravian Cemetery. Arrangements were entrusted to Norman Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be donated to Yellow Trail Letter Carrier’s Museum or Simmon’s One Room Schoolhouse.
Barb was preceded in death by her parents.
