Doris Ann Johnson's Obituary
Doris Ann Runge Johnson was born on December 27, 1936 to Edwin and Elsie (Hahn) Runge. As the youngest of three, she was doted upon and cherished from the beginning, and she remembered and shared God's love with all throughout her life. She worked so hard and wore out her body, and went to be with the Lord on August 9, 2016 at the age of 79.
Doris was baptized on April 18, 1937 and later confirmed at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Prairie Hill, Texas. She attended primary school in Harrisburg, and then on to
Brenham High School, and her ambition and friendliness shined. In addition to her regular
schedule of classes, she participated in several clubs including FHA, pep squad, yearbook and
choir.
Upon graduating from Brenham High, she followed in her brother's footsteps and moved down
to Houston to attend business school. When she finished school, she started working for
Southwestern Bell Telephone in data entry. As she had a very strong work ethic and was brilliant at her job, she was able to move into the oil and gas industry and worked for many
years at NL Industries. She met many friends along the way, many of whom she kept in touch
with for years, and most had a lot of fond memories to fuel conversations throughout the years.
She was fortunate to travel to other places across the United States and attended the World’s
Fair in Canada. Among her friends, she met her first love, a Canadian foreign exchange student
named Allan Wiseberg. Life and war intervened before their marriage and drove them apart, but many years later they were able to connect and reminisce of times past.
Her second love was Lee Johnson, a handsome man originally from Chicago. They were married in Houston and were blessed with one child. Sadly, the marriage didn't last, but Doris remained resolute and doted upon her daughter, giving all the love she could and instilling within her the values she was taught in school and life. Even as she worked long hours, she made sure she and her daughter had time together to read bedtime stories and just to be there for whatever happened.
They later moved to Pearland and Doris helped her daughter to thrive academically and socially in band activities while working for Union Texas Petroleum and looking after her own mother until her mother’s health decline and death in 1989/1990.
Doris was always ready for a good conversation with family and friends, catching up with
everything going on in one's lives. She liked to dance and to have fun.
In her last years Doris was largely confined to her home due to health problems. She was diagnosed early with rheumatoid arthritis and later with osteoporosis, which crippled and ravaged her body. She tried not to let it all get her down, although some days were easier than others. She valued her independence greatly (examples seen with loving to take a drive anywhere, especially around the countryside and with beautifully handwritten letters in the cursive she was taught in school.)
She is survived by her daughter Jennifer, three nieces, several cousins and many friends. She
was preceded in death by her sister Jenny Joe Kessler, Elsie Runge, Edwin Runge, and brother
James Runge.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, August 19th, at Faith Lutheran Church, 4600 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX. There will also be a graveside internment service at 2:30 PM at Prairie Lea Cemetery, 508 South Jackson St, Brenham, TX.
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