IN MEMORIAM: Irene M. Johnson, 80;

Served Oneonta Schools For Half-Century

ONEONTA – Irene M. Johnson, 80, who worked for the Oneonta City School District for a half-century, died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021.

She was born Sept. 27, 1940, at home in a house on Country Club Road, the daughter of James C. and Tressa A. Northup.

On Aug. 8, 1959, she married Stephen N. Johnson Sr., who survives her. They were married for 62 years.

Irene graduated from Oneonta High School in 1958, and was hired as the junior high school principal’s secretary even before she graduation.

After she was married in 1959, she worked full or part-time for the Oneonta City School District until she retired in 1999, altogether 34 years. After retirement, she worked as a substitute secretary for OHS and OMS for 16 more years.

She was an active member of the Oneonta Southside Wesleyan Church, where she became a member at age 13  (1953) and started teaching Sunday school when she was 17 years old. She taught Sunday school for close to 50 years, at one time or another teaching every age level. She held several other offices in the church as well.

She enjoyed making scrapbooks for all her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She loved her flower gardens, quilting and sewing. She was happiest when she was around all of her family and when she was baking cookies for them or feeding them.

In addition to her husband Stephen, she is survived by three children, Stephen Jr. and wife, Lori, Harry James and wife, Analee, and Susan Hitchcock and husband, Wayne; grandchildren Christopher and Michelle, Matthew and Erin, Douglas and Teresa Johnson, Jill and Joel Davis, Rebecca and Joe Evans, Jason Hitchcock, Jacob Hitchcock and Shannon Finch; great-grandchildren Hayley Martin, James, Quinn, Harper, Teyton, Jennifer Johnson, Dylan Moore and Colton and Hunter Davis; brothers Glenn and wife, Linda Northup, James and wife, Frances Northup; her sister, Mary Jane and husband, Larry Truax; special nephew, Timothy Northup and many other nieces and nephews and several cousins; also her Aunt Ella Burns.

Irene was predeceased by her parents, James and Tressa Northup; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Harry and Helen Johnson; baby great-grandson, Caanan Davis; brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Linda Northup; grandparents, Earl and Mary Tuttle and Earl and Emma Northup; aunt, Annie Johnson; uncle, Ed Burns, and several other aunts, uncles and cousins.

A graveside service will be held at a later date in Glenwood Cemetery in Oneonta.
Donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements are with Oneonta’s only family-owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono at 51 Dietz St.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.lhpfuneralhome.com.