Obituary of Helen Amelia (Goss) Johnson

Helen Amelia (Goss) Johnson, 83, passed away Saturday, October 5, 2019 at the St. Elizabeth Home Cove Unit in East Greenwich, RI where she received exceptional care for the past 6 months. Prior to that she lived with her son Michael and his wife Diane for 5 years at their home in Snug Harbor, RI.

Born in Berlin, New Hampshire, Helen was the daughter of the late Phillip and Eleanor Lavoie Goss. She was the beloved wife for more than 60 years of the late Eugene Edward “Gene” Johnson.

Helen is survived by her loving children, Mary-Ellyn Johnson Baily and her husband Jeff, Jenifer Johnson Luby and her husband Stephen, Michael Johnson and his wife Diane, Helen Johnson Rimsa and her husband Thomas, and Jeffrey Johnson and his wife Nicole. Her oldest child, Raymond Eugene Johnson, predeceased her in 1993.

She was the cherished grandmother of fourteen and great grandmother of one. She was the last surviving sibling of the Goss children, dear sisters Lorraine and Betty and brothers Phillip and Edward.

During high school in Manchester, CT, she met her husband and love of her life Gene. She was Gene’s #1 baseball fan, supporting his professional baseball career and for the first 7 years of their marriage they travelled all over the country playing baseball and raising a family together before settling in Vernon, CT in 1963.

Helen was a talented seamstress, giving sewing lessons to neighborhood children. She was also a master at upholstering and interior decorating. She was an amazing cook and her family loved to feast on her French meat pies at Christmas, decorated cakes at birthdays and her famous brownies, crepes and everything Maine blueberry delicacies. She always enjoyed a round of golf, a walk or digging for clams on the beaches of Rhode Island, Cape Cod and Siesta Key with Gene.

She will be remembered as a strong and beautiful woman, a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt to her family. She was her children’s cheerleader and encouraged each one to be the very best at their various endeavors.

On behalf of the Johnson family we would like to thank all her caregivers who were wonderful to her through this journey and treated her with respect, honoring her dignity as was Gene’s last wishes.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday October 10^th from 4-8 p.m. at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center St., Manchester, CT.  Family and friends will have an opportunity to offer personal reflections of Helen’s life beginning at 7 p.m.

In lieu of cards and flowers, donations may be made in Helen’s memory to St. Elizabeth’s Cove Unit, 1 St. Elizabeth’s Way, East Greenwich, RI 02818 or the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org). For online condolences, please visit www.tierneryfuneralhome.com.