Palma A. (DeBaggis) Johnson, 90 died Thursday, December 11 at Rhode Island Hospital from injuries she sustained in a pedestrian, truck accident, in Franklin while Mrs. Johnson was walking to daily mass at St. Mary’s Church. She was the wife of the late Cornelius “Fran” Johnson who died in 1998.
Born in Franklin on November 23, 1918, the daughter of the late Antonio and Mary Ann (Cataldo) DeBaggis, Mrs. Johnson was a lifelong Franklin resident.
Mrs. Johnson was a graduate of Franklin High School and Regis College, class of 1939.
A teacher, she taught Latin at Franklin High School from 1939-1944.
After her children had grown, she went back to teaching, starting the first kindergarten in Franklin, the Redland Park Kindergarten. Mrs. Johnson then went on to teach second and third grade at the Kennedy Elementary School in Franklin until her retirement.
While teaching third grade at the Kennedy School, she along with her class petitioned the Massachusetts State Legislature to name the lady bug the State bug. They were successful and today the school’s “mascot” is the ladybug.
Mrs. Johnson was long active in Town activities, was a volunteer at the Library for 20 years, a helper and driver with the Meals on Wheels program, a dispatcher for the FISH program and a volunteer office worker at St. Mary’s Church.
During World War II, she a member of the Franklin Women’s Ambulance Brigade.
Mrs. Johnson was a member of St. Mary’s Church Women’s Club and the Franklin Senior Citizens Club where she enjoyed exercising, playing cards and ping pong.
Mrs. Johnson had been a daily communicant of St. Mary’s Church.
She is survived by her children, Neil Johnson and his wife, Iris of Clarksburg, New Jersey, Mary Ann Kotros of Old Orchid Beach, Maine, Martha Polachi and her husband, Charlie of Sherborn, Stephen Johnson and his wife, Laurie of Windham, New Hampshire, and Philip Johnson and his wife, Melinda of Plainville.
She is also survived by her sister, Sr. Gemma Mary DeBaggis LSA of Worcester.
She was the sister of the late Henry and Anthony DeBaggis.
She is also also survived by her grandchildren, Nora Johnson, Alison and Dan Cullity, Charles Polachi III, Neala Polachi and Christina Polachi, and her great-grandchildren, Stella and Shane.
Her funeral will be held on Monday, December 15 from the Ginley Funeral Home of Franklin, 131 Main St. in Franklin at 8:15 followed by a funeral Mass in St. Mary’s Church at 9:00 a.m.
Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Calling hours will be on Sunday from 4-8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the St. Vincent DePaul Society c/o St. Mary’s Church, Church Square, Franklin, MA 02038.