Mary Ann Johnson was born October 23, 1942 in San Antonio, Texas and died July 7, 2008 in Austin, Texas. The daughter of Solomon Wilson Johnson and Betty Marie (Hutton) Johnson, she lived in many locations around the world while her father was in the air force, including Japan, Bermuda, and Alaska.
Ann overcame significant physical challenges and graduated from Southwest Texas University before completing a career as a Disability Examiner for the Social Security Administration in Austin.
Ann was an avid “Trekkie” which led her to a vast circle of friends around the country. She helped in establishing at least two Austin Star Trek Fan Clubs: IDIC and The Star Trek Austin Regulars (STAR) in the 1980’s and 1990’s. She is a current member of the Eastern Star and any donations can be made in her name to the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, Dallas, Texas.
Ann is survived by cousins and many friends. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 12, 2008 at Cook Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar, Austin (Viewing permitted one hour before services). Graveside service will follow at Live Oak Cemetery, Manchaca, Texas.
I suggest this for a poem. It is the original theme for Star Trek as written by Gene Roddenberry. If this doesn’t work for you let me know. I have other options I can come up with that would be meaningful for her.
Beyond the rim of the starlight,
my love is wandering in star flight.
I know he’ll find
In star clustered reaches
Love, strange love
A starwoman teaches.I know his journey ends never.
His Star Trek will go on forever.
But tell him while
He wanders his starry sea,
Remember,
Remember me.
I was woken from a dead sleep this morning at 7:00 am to be told that Ann Johnson had passed away during the night from respiratory complications.
Several years ago when she left her townhome for an assisted living facility she asked me to oversee the moving of her stuff. It took me far longer than any reasonable person should expect; about a year all told. The delay was on my end, not hers. Patience was never one of Ann’s virtues, but she showed far more patience with me than I had any right to expect.
During the course of sifting through the volumes of video tapes housing the most cherished memories of her lifetime, the crates of magazines and fanzines for the various shows and groups she was following or was a member of; and, of course, the tons of collectibles and artwork that she had amassed through a lifetime of collecting, I found the following photograph.
I thought at the time “this is the way I want to remember Ann.” I’m glad that I was able to dredge up a copy from the records so that I could post it here.
The word is given, Ann. Warpspeed.
Here’s a link to her journal page at AOL. Yes, she was an AOLer, but I never held it against her.
Editor’s note
I stumbled across this Obit The Wife wrote for Ann while going through electronic documents the other day. I have combined the obituary with the article I wrote the morning that she died and made a whole new article of it.
