Donna Johnson


Home Retirees Newsletters Scholarships Helpful Links Legislative & Health Care Update Waltham Graduates in the News WHS Hall of Fame Calendar Obituaries The Committee Copyright 2018 The Retirees' Corner 95 Washington Ave. Waltham, MA 02453 RetireesCorner@gmail.com Site created and maintained by students at Waltham High School	Donna Johnson, Assistant Principal at Plympton Donna Hope Johnson died on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at her home in Manomet, Massachusetts, after a long battle with cancer. Born July 1, 1946, in Worcester, Massachusetts, to Hope (Thulin) and Eric Alfred Johnson she spent most of her childhood and adult life in Waltham. After graduating from Waltham High School, she earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College. She taught first grade at the Bright School in Waltham for 28 years before moving over to the Plympton School as an Assistant Principal until her retirement in 2005. She received her Masters of Arts in Teaching from Tufts University. Donna was drawn to politics at an early age and remembered watching the first televised Presidential convention. She merged her political energy and dedication to public education with likeminded peers who argued that the National Education Association did not adequately represent their views and helped form the Republican Educators of Massachusetts. In 1988, she was a Massachusetts state delegate at the Republican Convention that nominated George H. Bush. As a child, Donna spent summers in Manomet at her parents’ camp overlooking Rabbit Pond. She and her three sisters enjoyed summers at Churchill Landing beach. When nieces and nephews arrived in the 1970s and 80s, many of them spent the entire summer under her care. She loved being on the water. When a nephew needed a summer job, her father bought a boat so that they could trap lobsters. On one trip, the propeller became tangled and started to swamp the boat. That harrowing experience prompted her to take a Coast Guard Auxiliary course in safety and seamanship. She also took classes in Celestial Navigation with the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) and went on to teach Basic Seamanship Safety Courses. She continued her involvement with USPS and became the first woman appointed a District Commander in District 12 of USPS. Despite her accomplishments, her love for family was her priority. From summers in Manomet to winters in a two-room schoolhouse in Maine with four generations of skiers, she brought family together. Donna was a member of the First Baptist Church in Waltham before moving to Manomet. She then joined the Second Church of Plymouth serving terms as chair of the diaconate, chair of the trustees, and helping with the Youth Group. She was also a member of the Second Church’s Bible Study group, the Massachusetts Retired Teachers, The Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth Antiquarian Society, Plymouth Garden Club and the Plymouth Republican Town Committee. Donna is survived by her two sisters, Carla Garrison and her husband Ritchie, and Gail Browne and her husband Remi. Auntie Donna referred to her nieces and nephews as her kids. By order of birth, they are: Mark Beaumont, his wife Pim and their daughter Jade; Kristen (Beaumont), her husband Christopher Reimann, and their daughters Ruby and Klara; Eric Garrison; John Beaumont, his wife Abby and their children Otto and Matilda; Nathan Garrison; Rebecca Garrison, her husband Josh Grubman and their children Quinn and Henry; Christie Browne; and Ben Browne. Her parents and elder sister Ruth (Johnson) Beaumont predeceased her. A memorial service will be held at the Second Church of Plymouth on Saturday, February 8 th , at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cranberry Hospice or Second Church of Plymouth.

Copyright 2018
The Retirees' Corner
95 Washington Ave.
Waltham, MA 02453
RetireesCorner@gmail.com
Site created and maintained by students at Waltham High School

Donna Johnson, Assistant Principal at Plympton

Donna Hope Johnson died on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at her home in Manomet, Massachusetts, after a long battle with cancer. Born July 1, 1946, in Worcester, Massachusetts, to Hope (Thulin) and Eric Alfred Johnson she spent most of her childhood and adult life in Waltham. After graduating from Waltham High School, she earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College. She taught first grade at the Bright School in Waltham for 28 years before moving over to the Plympton School as an Assistant Principal until her retirement in 2005. She received her Masters of Arts in Teaching from Tufts University. Donna was drawn to politics at an early age and remembered watching the first televised Presidential convention. She merged her political energy and dedication to public education with likeminded peers who argued that the National Education Association did not adequately represent their views and helped form the Republican Educators of Massachusetts. In 1988, she was a Massachusetts state delegate at the Republican Convention that nominated George H. Bush. As a child, Donna spent summers in Manomet at her parents’ camp overlooking Rabbit Pond. She and her three sisters enjoyed summers at Churchill Landing beach. When nieces and nephews arrived in the 1970s and 80s, many of them spent the entire summer under her care. She loved being on the water. When a nephew needed a summer job, her father bought a boat so that they could trap lobsters. On one trip, the propeller became tangled and started to swamp the boat. That harrowing experience prompted her to take a Coast Guard Auxiliary course in safety and seamanship. She also took classes in Celestial Navigation with the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) and went on to teach Basic Seamanship Safety Courses. She continued her involvement with USPS and became the first woman appointed a District Commander in District 12 of USPS. Despite her accomplishments, her love for family was her priority. From summers in Manomet to winters in a two-room schoolhouse in Maine with four generations of skiers, she brought family together. Donna was a member of the First Baptist Church in Waltham before moving to Manomet. She then joined the Second Church of Plymouth serving terms as chair of the diaconate, chair of the trustees, and helping with the Youth Group. She was also a member of the Second Church’s Bible Study group, the Massachusetts Retired Teachers, The Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth Antiquarian Society, Plymouth Garden Club and the Plymouth Republican Town Committee. Donna is survived by her two sisters, Carla Garrison and her husband Ritchie, and Gail Browne and her husband Remi. Auntie Donna referred to her nieces and nephews as her kids. By order of birth, they are: Mark Beaumont, his wife Pim and their daughter Jade; Kristen (Beaumont), her husband Christopher Reimann, and their daughters Ruby and Klara; Eric Garrison; John Beaumont, his wife Abby and their children Otto and Matilda; Nathan Garrison; Rebecca Garrison, her husband Josh Grubman and their children Quinn and Henry; Christie Browne; and Ben Browne. Her parents and elder sister Ruth (Johnson) Beaumont predeceased her. A memorial service will be held at the Second Church of Plymouth on Saturday, February 8 th , at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cranberry Hospice or Second Church of Plymouth.