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Lenore (Lennie) Johnson, 92, was promoted to Glory from Santa Monica, Calif., Feb. 9.
Lenore Butler, born Sept. 20, 1920, to a devout Quaker family, was playing piano at worship services by age 11. She earned bachelor’s degrees in both religion and music. When she married Cedric Morris, a Salvationist from the Portland Citadel Corps, she too became a Salvationist, learning to play trombone so she could join him in the corps band. Wherever they went, they provided music—in the band, at the piano and organ, or in the songsters.
The couple moved to Santa Monica, where Johnson played piano and organ at the Santa Monica Corps for over 50 years.
Johnson worked as treasurer at the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps and then, starting in 1961, as bookkeeper at the Santa Monica Adult Rehabilitation Center. Into her 90s she drove people to the corps and other events, taught crafts at vacation Bible school, visited rest homes and led Home League meetings. She was a faithful soldier and prayer warrior.
Morris was promoted to Glory in 1978, and Johnson later married Randall Johnson, who died in 1987.
Johnson is survived by daughters Emily (Cyrus) Damania and Louise (Gary) Foster, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Captain Mario Ruiz conducted a celebration of life at the Santa Monica Corps on Feb. 16.
