Esther Humphrey Johnson

 Esther Humphrey Johnson, known to her family as Grandma, died peacefully in the company of her granddaughter and great-granddaughter on December 8, 2019, in Brighton, at the age of 101. Esther "Grandma" Humphrey Johnson was born November 2, 1918, in the small town of Langford, South Dakota, just 22 years after its founding. Esther was the middle child with two elder siblings, James and Ruth, and two younger, Mary and Paul. She was born to James Mills Humphrey, a Presbyterian minister, and Annie Chenney, who was among the first women to graduate from Baylor Female College (now Baylor University). Her father was a kind and gracious people person - the archetypal pastor. Her mother, a strong woman who made sure the family never wanted, was erudite and a natural educator. Esther's parents instilled in her the value of faith and family, and that became the framework of her life. As a little girl, she learned to love the church and through the church, music. She would fondly recall singing as a young girl, and she was always delighted to hear live music - a trait she would later pass down to her daughter. She was a social and active member of the church throughout her life. Though the church was not only a passion, it was also the family business. The family of seven weathered the Great Depression traveling to various small towns around the country. A time that may have seeded her love of the land and what it provides. She said, "We always lived on a farm, so we always had something to eat." Her father served as the pastor at whatever town they were called to, working funerals for extra income, which often came in the form of a live chicken to butcher for the evening meal. They did not have a lot, but they always had enough. Esther boasted that her mother could make "a meal for seven out of a pound of hamburger." Esther, taking after her mother, was business-minded, decisive, and enduring. She loved working with numbers and was an insatiable reader. While the family was in St. Joe, Missouri, Esther graduated high school early at the age of 16 and went on to Junior Business College. After college, she had a series of jobs, including working for a newspaper and as a bookkeeper. She later exercised these skills in the management of her household, keeping meticulous finances. In 1938, while visiting a friend's farm in Hixton, Wyoming, a red-headed hired man caught her eye. "He was so handsome!" she would exclaim of her soon to be husband, Rod. Esther herself had beautiful blonde hair that "shone like the golden sun." And though she had avowed, "I'm never marrying a farmer or a red-head," it was Esther who told Rod, "I'll get the ring and the flowers and meet you at the Preacher's house." When a thing had was decided, she wanted it done yesterday. Ever aware of propriety, she rarely went into the details of their courtship. The family would sometimes tease her with a story told by her brother Paul of a double date, where she and Rod "were in the backseat and never came up for air." She would become demure with blushed cheeks and a chuckle, eyes wide and full with memory - a glimmer of the love that bound their 75-year marriage. From the moment they met, she would forever be a devoted, loving wife. When Esther was just 22, they had their first child, Rosalind, in 1940. Shortly after that, the family took their old, worn-out Model A to Byrnes, Wyoming, where Esther's father was living. It was there that Rod would find work at the famed Wyoming Hereford Ranch and became regarded as one of the best dairymen in the business. Their second daughter, Marylin Ruth, was an Rh baby and lived only 12 days. They went on to have two sons, Rolland James Johnson and Mark Humphrey Johnson, both born in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Mark would be one of the first Rh babies saved by blood transfusion. Looking for a better life, the family moved their three children to Wheatridge, Colorado, where Rod managed dairy cows and registered Holstein bulls. After a few years, the family moved to Brighton, where they bought a herd of milking cattle. They met a man named Dr. Ciotola, who sold them land in Fort Lupton and secured their loan. Dr. Ciotola would tell Esther, "You are the most honest person I've ever met." They shared mutual esteem and remained friends for years. They had their fifth and final child, their daughter Jean. They worked hard and were fortunate. As her children began to have children, Esther became "Grandma," and her house became a sanctuary to many. When her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren were coming to visit, she made them feel like the most important people in the world. She kept up with family and friends, cultivating relationships as meticulously and lovingly as she did everything. She had some whimsical regrets in life - she always wanted to be an architect, to learn to ride a bike, and to swim. However, in more profound moments of self-reflection, her thoughts turned toward friends and family. She would worry about mistreating someone, not loving enough, not being kind enough. Grandma was always anticipating the next adventure, planning the next big party, marking down the next visitor she would entertain. She seldom rested and preferred instead to be using her hands. Grandma relished the feel of bread dough, the earth of her garden, and the sun on her face. And, in what seemed like rare moments of being too tired for physical work, she turned to thoughtful activities. She would work on her bookkeeping, read voraciously, preferring non-fiction books on US history, religion, or politics, or would check on relatives. When her family asked her about how she coped with farm life, the changing world, the heaviness of life, she would say, "I guess we were too busy working to worry about all that stuff." She kept a stiff upper lip, rarely took medicine, worked to remain positive, and genuinely saw her life and the people in it as a divine gift. Esther is survived by her son, Rolland James Johnson of Hemet, California; daughter, Jean Haynes (and husband Gary) of Garland, Texas; 10 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Rolland Andrew Johnson; daughter, Marilyn Ruth Johnson (died in infancy); daughter, Rosalind Gonzalez; son, Mark Humphrey Johnson; and granddaughter, Janice Carrender.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Esther Humphrey Johnson, please visit our floral store.