Onie (Wolf) Johnson

Onie Johnson, 101, of Clifton passed away Sunday, December 22, 2019 at Lutheran Sunset Ministries. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Friday, December 27, 2019 at the Rock Church Cemetery with Pastor R. Don Wright officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the cemetery from 9:00-9:55 A.M.

Onie Lizzie Wolf was born to Albert Jacob and Lucy “Caddell” Wolf on April 11, 1918 at their home in a small community near Otto, TX in Falls County. She was the fourth child of eight children. Onie grew up in rural areas at Criswell Odds, Eureka, in and around Marlin, all in Falls County. She was blessed to have Christian parents, brothers, and sisters. At the age of twelve, she became a child of God, baptized by Brother James Bradford at Odds, TX in a gin tank with other boys and girls that same day. She was a faithful member of the Baptist Church until she married and then became a faithful member of the Lutheran Churches.

While attending Marlin High School, she worked in “Square Deal Store” and “Duke & Ayres” to make extra money. Times were rough then, her dad had a very serious heart attack and money was hard to come by. One year after his health had improved, he drove four of the kids, (3 girls and 1 boy) to Marlin so they could go to Marlin High School. The year she finished, she lived with a roommate in Marlin and they walked several blocks each day to school. After graduating from high school in 1937, she went to Houston to find employment. While in Houston, she lived with Leonard and Gladys Wolf at Fairbanks, they were wonderful to her, a very dear brother and sister-in-law. She worked at a Health Resort that was located between Fairbanks and Cypress. Florene McBryde was her roommate there and a very dear friend. It was there that she met Rudolph A. Johnson, him disliking his name, everyone just called him “Rudy”. He worked at the resort as well, they became friends and began dating. On Christmas of 1939, they became engaged and on June 8, 1940, they were married in her parent's home in Criswell in the country near Otto, TX.  It was a small wedding with relatives and a few friends. The ceremony was performed by Rev. D.E. Sloan of Fairbanks. A little while after marriage, they moved to Houston where Rudy was employed at “Houston Sash & Door Co.” Their first home was an apartment on Wangh Drive with a sweet elderly lady Ms. Randolph. She was an Artist and she would ask Onie to go with her to the stores where she was selling her work, she would also leave Onie in charge of the apartments when she would travel to California.

After moving from Houston, they made their way to Cranfills Gap, TX where they lived on the “Jeff Hanson Ranch.” Things did not work out there so they moved to Mart, TX and tried farming there which was a rough living also with two small boys. In the Fall, they moved to Clifton where Rudy began working for the Texas Milling Co. And also the Ice Plant. The Ice Plant was owned by C.P.S. Co. Later, he was employed by the C.P.S. Co. Onie felt this was the best move in their married life. Rudy worked from the bottom of the line crew to serviceman until he made Local Manager of the Community Public Service Co. From 1951-1959, Rudy was serviceman in Hamilton, they enjoyed many good times and friends while there. While in Hamilton, she was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church for eight years where she was a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher and also a member of the ladies circle.  They returned to Clifton and built a new home at 1413 West 13th street where they had twelve years when their hearts were broken as the Lord took Rudy home with him on August 22, 1971. Oh, how he has been missed!!

In September of 1947, Onie studied and was confirmed by Rev. Walter T. Gigstad and became a new member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clifton, where she remains a member. She was a member of the Darcas Circle and WELCA, as well as the Public Relations Board, Lay Ministry Board, Call Committee for New Pastor, and a choir member. She enjoyed doing volunteer work for R.S.V.P, Community Church, Lutheran Sunset Home, A.A.R.P., the Food Bank and Clothes Closet. She enjoyed visiting with people and was always there to help friends and neighbors. She also liked to crochet, play 42 & 84 dominos. One thing she especially loved was traveling. She mostly traveled with Kincannon Tours of Waco, taking trips on buses, trains, and planes.  She traveled to all of the USA states except three, North Dakota, California, and Florida. She saw many historical and national places everywhere which she felt were so wonderful to see. Those were memories she would treasure always for the rest of her life. She made many scrapbooks of each trip. She liked the fact that while watching tv, she could say “Oh I have been there and seen that!!” It was a great joy to her being able to see the awesome beauty and wonderful places that God has created for our enjoyment.

She was employed by several businesses in Clifton over a long period of time: Ashcraft Variety Store (Party-Time), T-Shirt Shop for Janis Raines, T-Shirt Shop for Betty Odom, E.R. Keeling Co. For many years as a full-time employee (they were wonderful to work for), W.B. Bertelson’s Co. After Keelings sold to them and for a short time worked for Floyd and Jackie Gray when they owned Western Auto Store until it closed.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Leonard Wolf, Louie Wolf, Lonnie Wolf, and E. B. Wold who died at 6 days old; sisters, Eva C. Wallace, and Juanita “Wolf” Owens.

She is survived by her sons; Rudy Johnson and wife, Judy; Kenneth Johnson and wife, Sue; daughter, Donna Darlene Johnson; brother, Joseph T. Wolf; grandchildren, Debbie Johnson, Jay Johnson and wife, Cierra, Dinah Shaw and husband, Alan, Joey Casey and wife, Desiree, Cody Johnson and wife, Kayla; great-grandchildren, Ashleigh, Wesley and Isla Johnson, Max Johnson, Hunter and Ridge Shaw, Travis Taylor, and Corey and Shannon Casey.