Lifetime resident of Malden (Maplewood), Claire L. (Carey) Johnson passed away peacefully with loving family members by her side at Sawtelle Hospice House, located in Reading. Claire was a devoted, kind, generous, humorous, athletic, down to earth person, and even feisty at times.
Claire was the daughter of the late Joseph V. Carey and Viola M. (Fyler) Carey. She was the loving and loyal wife to the late Raymond D. Johnson for fifty-seven years, mother of nine children: Lovingly survived by Kathleen P. Miranda and husband Michael of Billerica, David C. Johnson and wife Linda of Reading, Stephen R. Johnson and Becky Ygnacio of Austin, Texas, Mark D. Johnson, Timothy J. Johnson and wife Karen of Reading, Michael E. Johnson and wife Renee of Haverhill, Karen A. Mahoney and husband Paul of Stoneham, AnnMarie C. Murphy and husband Kevin or Haverhill and Robert F. Johnson and wife Staci of Malden. Grandmother to the late Maeve Mahoney, survived by Lauren and Christopher Johnson of Reading, Emma and Jackson Johnson of Reading, Paige, Jessica and Nicholas Johnson of Haverhill, Hannah and Patrick Mahoney of Stoneham, and Conor, Kylee, and Halee Murphy of Haverhill. Loving sister to the late Patricia Ann Carey who passed away this past December 23, also at the Sawtelle Hospice House. They were together from the beginning, to the end both born on 11/24- 5 years to the day apart. They were inseparable for 75 years, living at the same address, and passing away under the same roof they were soulmates for life. Also sister to the late Francis and Robert of California, Joseph of Florida. Survived by sisters Agnes M. Webber of Medford, Doris M. Mahon of Attleboro, and twenty two nieces and nephews.
Claire lived in the same house on Cherry St. that she was born in, delivered by a midwife in one of the upstairs bedrooms. She attended Saint Joseph’s Elementary School in Maplewood for eight years. During her 5th grade school year she developed scarlet fever, causing her to repeat the grade, on a positive note she would meet lifelong friends. Claire graduated from Chevrous Girls Catholic High School in 1954, thanks to the generosity of her working oldest sister, Agnes who paid for four years of tuition as a graduation gift from Elementary School. The cost for a Parochial high school education was a mere twenty-five dollars a year at that time.
After graduation, she was employed by the Malden Electric and Gas Company for two years. During her working years, she met a U. S. Navy sailor named Raymond at the Bal-a-roue roller skating rink in Medford. They met September 8, 1954, and never missed a day seeing one another, as he hitchhiked from Newport, Rhode Island, every day after his naval duties. After a movie, ice cream sundae, or just a walk holding hands, he would walk her home. Then he would hitchhike back to Newport. Inseparable, the two were married on the same date they met two years earlier, September 8, 1956 and stayed in Malden where they raised nine children.
Claire was a very good athlete, always participating in family sports every Sunday, playing baseball, football, basketball, and was a very good left handed goalie. She never missed one of her children’s ball games, sometimes watching up to three games on a Saturday. She would even bicycle to Wakefield and Nahant at the age of 42 to watch a ballgame. During the early 1980’s, she worked for Harcourt News Agency and was employed for over two decades. During this time, she was also a volunteer caregiver to a special person, Mrs. Kennedy, for many years. She would say that she reminded her of her own mother.
Claire was a generous person, always giving more than she had to her children and others. She loved Christmas and family gatherings with her mother and sisters, whether in Malden, Attleboro or Medford and going to visit Raymond’s home town in New Jersey. Attending his class reunions or visiting family at her sister-in-law Marge’s annual family reunion on Labor Day weekend. Family members would gather from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York as well as Claire and Ray’s family, which were called the “Boston bunch”.
You will be missed by all, may you rest in peace with your husband, sister and other love ones. Thank you for instilling in your children that God and family always come first.