Pearl Johnson

Pearl was born to William Edgar Cox and Margaret Black Cox in the small town of Glendale, Utah on March 14, 1924 and died on December 25, 2021 in Sandy, Utah, age 97. Though she died during the Covid pandemic, she didn't contract the disease. She died peacefully of old age at the home where she had lived for 48 years.

Pearl lived through much change in her long life. Three years before she was born, her family moved to Glendale from Huntington, Utah in a covered wagon. She was second to youngest of 12 children raised to adulthood. Her mother didn't finish high school. Her parents never learned to drive. Her childhood was spent in a house without electricity or indoor plumbing. Water was brought to her home in a large barrel by horse from her uncle's well. She churned butter and herded cows as a child. The house's only heat was from a wood stove in the kitchen. She attended elementary school in a two-room schoolhouse. After she graduated from high school, her house, recently wired with electricity, burned to the ground.

Pearl was a shy child and a good student. She earned a scholarship to Dixie College in Saint George when she graduated from high school, but didn't attend because she couldn't afford room and board or books. During World War 2, she had an opportunity to learn to operate a power sewing machine. Pearl served as a missionary in the Northern States Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With her sewing skills, she worked her way through college, graduating from Utah State University in 1954 with a bachelor's degree in Home Economics Education. She learned to drive at the university.

Pearl worked as a county home agent in Millard county, where she met her husband. She married Floyd A Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple on June 25, 1956. She raised a family and was involved in the lives of her extensive extended family. She was active for many years in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She enjoyed family history work. She served in many positions in her church including Relief Society president, Primary president, and assisting refugees. She and Floyd served together as missionaries in the nearby nursing home and at the Utah State Prison.

Pearl left behind children Carol Butler (Ray), Wayne Johnson (Lisa Ann), Lisa Marie Noffsinger (Ken), 11 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. She anticipated a reunion with her deceased loved ones: husband Floyd, son Jeffrey (stillborn), parents, 15 siblings, and many others.

A private family funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2021 at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State Street, Midvale, Utah. Interment, Sutherland Cemetery.

The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Goff Mortuary Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice or do a kind deed for someone.