Barbara Elizabeth Johnson

Barbara Elizabeth (Beach) Johnson, 70, passed away at her Chanhassen home surrounded by family at the end of her brave battle with ovarian cancer on November 8, 2024. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Barb emigrated to the United States in the early 1970s and graduated from Sequoia High School in Redwood City, CA. She and her daughter Diana made their home in Edina, MN in 1980. Barb worked in the grocery industry, where she met her future husband, Alan. Even though he took her to a basketball game on their first date (she was not a sports fan), they married in 1984 and together had two daughters, Meredith and Lauren. After settling her family in Chanhassen, Barb volunteered for the Girl Scouts of America long after any of her daughters were involved and spent many years volunteering and working for Camp Invention, where she advertised the camps, awarded scholarships to under-resourced campers, and provided a camper in the form of her oldest grandchild. Barb was a complex woman who loved simple things: fall colors, a good road trip, HGTV, and her Diet Pepsi. She had a great sense of humor and was always happy to give or receive a good laugh. Her homes were beautiful, although the paint colors were subject to change without notice. She loved antiques and picking out wonderful little things for her home (and later, her daughters' homes!). She made the best carrot cake and chocolate chip cookies and always had everyone's favorite meals and snacks at hand. But above all else, she loved her family and got immense joy from her grandchildren. Family was always her top priority even in illness, and she was committed to taking care of everyone until the very end. Barb is survived by her adoring husband of 40 years, Alan; daughters Diana Sekhon, Meredith (Bryan) Johnson, and Lauren Johnson; grandchildren Liam Sekhon, Cooper Johnson-Rosen and his little sister arriving in May; brother Ted (Annette) Beach and their children, Alex and Katherine Beach. She is preceded in death by her parents, Isobel Beach and Douglas Beach, and son-in-law, Jeff Sekhon. Memorial and burial will be private. Alan Johnson's daughters would like to thank him for the fantastic care and support he gave our Mom. He never wavered and never complained. She was so thankful for him, and we are too. Barb was thankful for the wonderful care and kindness she received through the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She also supported them through donations so other women would not have to endure what she had. In lieu of a memorial, please consider donating to Mayo Clinic Gynecologic Cancer Research specifically using this form https://mcforms.mayo.edu/mc2500-mc2599/mc2581-26.pdf or Mayo General Cancer Research online. https://give.mayoclinic.org/give/609586/%23!/donation/checkout

Tributes

Barbara Elizabeth Johnson

July 16, 1954 - November 8, 2024

Tributes

Barbara Elizabeth Johnson

July 16, 1954 - November 8, 2024

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