Martha Johnson Obituary

Martha Ann Bishop Johnson was born February 5th, 1946, in Telluride, CO to Owen and Mary Bishop. Martha only weighed 5 pounds at birth and she slept in a box near the wood stove to keep her warm when she was a baby. Her older siblings, Mary, Frank, and Roger doted on her. She spent her early childhood years in Norwood, CO on a farm. Martha and her family moved to Uravan , CO when Martha was around five years old. She spent a few years in Uravan before her family relocated to Naturita, CO. Martha completed her elementary and high school years in Naturita and Nucla. During her elementary years Martha took accordion lessons. The accordion weighed more than she did but she managed to lug it back and forth to her lessons. Martha married David Johnson on May 31, 1963. She and David had two kids, Donald (DJ) and Lea Ann. Martha loved camping, hunting, looking for arrowheads, playing cards, and spending time with her family. Martha loved her family and was always concerned with all of us being happy. our family put the As Martha used to say, "Our family put the fun in dysfunctional!" David and Martha divorced on May 31, 1983.

Martha worked as a switchboard operator for Union Carbide in Uravan. Following her divorce and the mill shut down, she relocated to Blanding, UT to work for Energy Fuels. Martha made many good friends during her time in Blanding. Due to layoffs at the mill, she relocated to Monticello, UT in 1992 and began working with the San Juan County Sheriff's office soon after. Martha was a force to reckoned with as a corrections officer in the jail. She was barely 5 feet tall and less than 100 pounds but inmates loved her and feared her at times. It was known amongst the inmates that "you don't make Martha mad." My brother and I can attest to that. Martha made many good friends during her time with the Sheriff's office. She kept those close friendships throughout her life. As Kelly Bradford said, "Martha was just what the sheriff's office needed. She was a dime among the nickels!

Life was not always kind or easy for Martha. Her dad wasn't a fun guy to live with and sadly her husband was even less fun at times. Martha worked so hard to become an independent woman and not rely on a man. She was fiercely independent until her last day on this earth. There was no one that worked harder or had more "grit" than Martha. She set a great example for all of us to be honest and fair, work hard and laugh. Crying gives you a headache.

Martha leaves a great legacy of doing good to all men. She loved everyone unconditionally. She never met a stranger. She will be so greatly missed by not only her family but an entire community. We will all miss seeing Martha and Peggy on their morning walks patrolling main street and shaking their walking sticks at any speeders going through town.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Owen and Mary Bishop, brothers Frank Bishop and Roger Bishop and sister Mary Purkey. She is survived by her son DJ (Sandy) of Naturita, CO, Lea Ann (Ron) Nielson of Monticello, Utah, eight grandkids, 19 great grandkids and many more who claim her as their grandma.