Jimmialene (Jimmie) Johnston, formerly from Dumas, Texas passed away peacefully on October 11, 2021, at the Groves Retirement Center in Goodyear, Arizona at the age of 86.
Jimmie was born in Prescott, Arkansas to Homer and Dera Mae Richardson on April 1, 1935. She attended Dumas High School, graduating in 1953. Jimmie excelled in sports during her junior and senior high school years, being both Co-Captain of the Demonettes Basketball Team as well as Cheerleader. Afterward, she entered and won both the Miss Moore County and Miss Wheetheart of the Nation Beauty Pageants before marrying her life-long husband, Stephen Gray (Gray) Johnston in 1954. In the years to follow, she became an accomplished amateur golfer, snow skier, cook, and artist (watercolorist). She was also a former member of both the First United Methodist Church of Dumas, Texas, and later Polk Street Methodist Church in Amarillo, Texas. For our family, she was a much-beloved mother and grandmother and will be forever missed.
She is survived by her children, Stephen Gray Johnston, Jr. and wife Kathy of Buckeye, Arizona, and Thaddeus Lee Johnston and wife Hegy of Plano, Texas; brother, Bobby Joe Richardson and wife Peggy of Dumas, Texas; grandchildren, Chase Johnston and wife Val of Buckeye, Arizona, Michelle Johnston of San Francisco, California, and Jasmine Johnston of Dallas, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She will be interred in Northlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Dumas, Texas with a private graveside ceremony to follow. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors at Dumas, 500 N. Maddox.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Suncrest Hospice in Goodyear, Arizona.
Sorry to read of Jimmialene’s passing. We re-connected several years ago, but I hadn’t seen her recently. Our age group is dwindling sadly.
Patricia Waide Allen
Jimmie will be greatly missed by all who knew her as a great woman. She was older than I but I respected her always in school and church. Grieve-as-you must, not-as-others will tell you is right, wrong or indifferent. Travel the new pathway God has for each of you, no pathways as each has an individual one. May God bless each and everyone of you.