Jar of Question - Part 13
Aunt Gwen Johnson
Today we buried my last aunt - that lived to the age of 92 yrs. Julia Gwendolyn West Johnson Cooley borned Dec 29 1907 in Lakeside Ariz then called Woodland. She married my mothers (Maude) brother Charles E. Johnson and was sealed for time + eternity in the temple. They had 7 children 61 grandchildren with spouses and 54 great grandchildren. She died Sat, March 25th 2000 from a 2nd stroke after having the first stroke 6 days earlyer as she was getting ready to go to church meetings. She was in her wheel chair where she spent most of her time and all of a sudden slumped over as the first stroke went down her left side and paralyzed her. She was rushed to the Luthern Hospital near Southern + Power Road but due to age and earlyer agreement no life saving efforts were used so they put her in the hospis to wait out the results and how long. The family was called in and the family prayer was given and they waited. We was called on Monday and I went out Wed. morning and visited her. She was my last aunt and I did so wanted to see her before she passed away. I walked into home an a son + his daughter was there. I greeted them and walked over and leaned over and said hi Aunt Gwen. I'm Don Clement and I came to see you. She opened her eyes just a little and I took her hand and she gave it just a little squeeze and I kept talking to her and she kept hold of my hand for the whole hour I stay by her bed and talked to her son + his daughter but Aunt Gwen did go back to sleep. They told me that she liked everyone to hold her hand and rested better by so doing. They took all food + water away from her, they kept her blood presure medicine going to her, and sprayed a little mosturer on her lips, they gave her morphin when they moved her due to the pain of moving her. She did look bad. She was always a person that looked so beautiful and everything in its right place with make up and hair just so. She had a saying about her make up had to be on so no one would know. I can't remember her cute saying but she lived by it and always looked so great with a big smile always on her face and when she would come into a room you could feel her spirit radiate all thru the room. Rather it was at a reception or a family gathering, she was special. She loved her scriptures and at gospel doctrine class when a discussion on what was what they would always look to Sister Gwen to give the right answer. She never turned down a call from the bishop or enyone needing her help if she could do it so even after Charlie Johnson died and some years later she married Bro Cooley which she said was a mistake told me so herself one day at the garage when she brought her car in to be worked on and I drove her home - I enjoyed those drives back to her home near Southern + Gilbert Rd. But enyway the bishop visited her and told her the Lord wanted her to be the spiritual living Relief Society teacher. She said that she looked at the bishop and said there must be a mistake, I'm sure the Lord would rather give one of the younger sisters a chance to grow by having that calling. The Bishop looked at her and said Sister Cooley, the Lord wants you. She said O.K. I'll do it but I still think I'm too old. So the Sunday came and she was getting ready to go to church and Relief Society and give her lesson, she always looked forward to going to her meetings and attended all 3 meetings every Sunday right up to the last. She went into her bedroom and shut the door so she could be alone to finish up her lesson. When finished she went to the door but she couldn't open the door. She pulled + pushed and hit it + kicked it but it wouldn't open. She called to her husband and he came to the other side of the door and he tried to open it but everything he tried wouldnt work. He said I'm afraid you're there to stay and miss your meetings today. She thought to herself that she sure didn't want to miss this day after preparing her lesson and there had to be a way to get out of this room. Then she thought we've tried everything but one sure way so she kneeled down by her bed and prayed to our Father in Heaven. She told her Father you asked me to give this lesson and todays the day. I need to give it but I cant give it if I'm here locked up and the sisters are at the church. Please dear Father in Heaven would you release me from this room so I can fill my calling. Just then she heard the door click and the door swung open slowly by itself. She thanked Father for releasing her got up off her knees and went to attend her meeting + give her lesson. Aunt Gwen had a lot of faith and she used it and her Father in Heaven answered. This was told at the funeral services by one of the sons. The vaile was very thin and she had a lot of experiences like this one, even some on the other side of the vaile.
After I left her at the hospis Wed. I turned my attention to the Father + Son outting I was in charge of and went to Sunflower Fri. where we was having it to celebrate the restoration of the priesthood. When I retuned to the valley Sunday so we could go to Sacrament meeting, Joan told me that Aunt Gwen had another stroke and it took her. She died on Saturday March 25th. It was a blessing and now she's with Charles Johnson but is she with Free Cooley also. I wonder how thats going to work out. They told of being awaken from a sound sleep one night after she had married Free Cooley. Charlie came to her as she slept and in a loud voice asked her, "Are you still mine". It awoke her with a start and she said, yes I am still yours. She really had a hard time going back to sleep. It would be something to think about. The viewing at Meldrum Mortuary was a nice exsperience and it was great to see all the cousins + friends. Joan had a class to teach so I went by myself. She looked great Aunt Gwen. They had her all fixed up but her hair was silver. She had always had beautiful red hair and thru the funeral there was a lot of young granddaughters with the same color of red hair. We went to the cemetary after for the burial and back to the church for the luncheon and I did take a lot of pictures. We will surely miss Aunt Gwen. But we know she's in a better place now. But for myself its a sign of age because now all the aunts are gone, and also all the uncles are gone also. Aunt Gwen was very special.
Today we buried my last aunt - that lived to the age of 92 yrs. Julia Gwendolyn West Johnson Cooley borned Dec 29 1907 in Lakeside Ariz then called Woodland. She married my mothers (Maude) brother Charles E. Johnson and was sealed for time + eternity in the temple. They had 7 children 61 grandchildren with spouses and 54 great grandchildren. She died Sat, March 25th 2000 from a 2nd stroke after having the first stroke 6 days earlyer as she was getting ready to go to church meetings. She was in her wheel chair where she spent most of her time and all of a sudden slumped over as the first stroke went down her left side and paralyzed her. She was rushed to the Luthern Hospital near Southern + Power Road but due to age and earlyer agreement no life saving efforts were used so they put her in the hospis to wait out the results and how long. The family was called in and the family prayer was given and they waited. We was called on Monday and I went out Wed. morning and visited her. She was my last aunt and I did so wanted to see her before she passed away. I walked into home an a son + his daughter was there. I greeted them and walked over and leaned over and said hi Aunt Gwen. I'm Don Clement and I came to see you. She opened her eyes just a little and I took her hand and she gave it just a little squeeze and I kept talking to her and she kept hold of my hand for the whole hour I stay by her bed and talked to her son + his daughter but Aunt Gwen did go back to sleep. They told me that she liked everyone to hold her hand and rested better by so doing. They took all food + water away from her, they kept her blood presure medicine going to her, and sprayed a little mosturer on her lips, they gave her morphin when they moved her due to the pain of moving her. She did look bad. She was always a person that looked so beautiful and everything in its right place with make up and hair just so. She had a saying about her make up had to be on so no one would know. I can't remember her cute saying but she lived by it and always looked so great with a big smile always on her face and when she would come into a room you could feel her spirit radiate all thru the room. Rather it was at a reception or a family gathering, she was special. She loved her scriptures and at gospel doctrine class when a discussion on what was what they would always look to Sister Gwen to give the right answer. She never turned down a call from the bishop or enyone needing her help if she could do it so even after Charlie Johnson died and some years later she married Bro Cooley which she said was a mistake told me so herself one day at the garage when she brought her car in to be worked on and I drove her home - I enjoyed those drives back to her home near Southern + Gilbert Rd. But enyway the bishop visited her and told her the Lord wanted her to be the spiritual living Relief Society teacher. She said that she looked at the bishop and said there must be a mistake, I'm sure the Lord would rather give one of the younger sisters a chance to grow by having that calling. The Bishop looked at her and said Sister Cooley, the Lord wants you. She said O.K. I'll do it but I still think I'm too old. So the Sunday came and she was getting ready to go to church and Relief Society and give her lesson, she always looked forward to going to her meetings and attended all 3 meetings every Sunday right up to the last. She went into her bedroom and shut the door so she could be alone to finish up her lesson. When finished she went to the door but she couldn't open the door. She pulled + pushed and hit it + kicked it but it wouldn't open. She called to her husband and he came to the other side of the door and he tried to open it but everything he tried wouldnt work. He said I'm afraid you're there to stay and miss your meetings today. She thought to herself that she sure didn't want to miss this day after preparing her lesson and there had to be a way to get out of this room. Then she thought we've tried everything but one sure way so she kneeled down by her bed and prayed to our Father in Heaven. She told her Father you asked me to give this lesson and todays the day. I need to give it but I cant give it if I'm here locked up and the sisters are at the church. Please dear Father in Heaven would you release me from this room so I can fill my calling. Just then she heard the door click and the door swung open slowly by itself. She thanked Father for releasing her got up off her knees and went to attend her meeting + give her lesson. Aunt Gwen had a lot of faith and she used it and her Father in Heaven answered. This was told at the funeral services by one of the sons. The vaile was very thin and she had a lot of experiences like this one, even some on the other side of the vaile.
After I left her at the hospis Wed. I turned my attention to the Father + Son outting I was in charge of and went to Sunflower Fri. where we was having it to celebrate the restoration of the priesthood. When I retuned to the valley Sunday so we could go to Sacrament meeting, Joan told me that Aunt Gwen had another stroke and it took her. She died on Saturday March 25th. It was a blessing and now she's with Charles Johnson but is she with Free Cooley also. I wonder how thats going to work out. They told of being awaken from a sound sleep one night after she had married Free Cooley. Charlie came to her as she slept and in a loud voice asked her, "Are you still mine". It awoke her with a start and she said, yes I am still yours. She really had a hard time going back to sleep. It would be something to think about. The viewing at Meldrum Mortuary was a nice exsperience and it was great to see all the cousins + friends. Joan had a class to teach so I went by myself. She looked great Aunt Gwen. They had her all fixed up but her hair was silver. She had always had beautiful red hair and thru the funeral there was a lot of young granddaughters with the same color of red hair. We went to the cemetary after for the burial and back to the church for the luncheon and I did take a lot of pictures. We will surely miss Aunt Gwen. But we know she's in a better place now. But for myself its a sign of age because now all the aunts are gone, and also all the uncles are gone also. Aunt Gwen was very special.
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