Ethel Simone Brindamor Johnson, passed away peacefully on July 19th, 2026, surrounded by family in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at the age of 94.
Born in Wayne Michigan on December 14th, 1931, to Ruby and Stanley Brindamor.
Ethel was raised during the depression and 2nd world war. She was the 4th of 5 children. At the age of 14 and before finishing 8th grade, Ethel quit school and began working. She grew up extremely poor and often shared how much she enjoyed earning her own money.
She met the love of her life Walter Johnson in 1950(?) and together they had 9 children.
During her life besides being a devoted mother Ethel started many businesses, a dairy, flower shop, restaurant, retreat and wedding banquet hall and a beer and wine pub. She also sold Amway, air purifiers and alarm systems. She got a real estate license around 1984, was on several community committee’s including “Rebuild L.A.” after the L.A. riots working with Peter Uberoth.
Ethel’s most passionate issue was the protection of the unborn. Since the decision of Roe V Wade she joined the right to life movement and was even arrested at a protest in the 1980’s. Together with her husband Walt she fostered many children, sponsored 3 Vietnamese families, and families from Poland, Czech Republic and El Salvador. She and Walt helped in the rehabilitation of over 100 young men from C.Y.A. California Youth Authority and many other young people considered hopeless cases. She never turned anyone away especially during the holidays, there was always room for more and Thanksgiving and Christmas usually had a stranger or 2 at the table.
Ethel was also fearlessly bold in her Catholic faith. She could talk about Jesus to anyone who was open to talking for as long as they would listen. She considered bringing someone to Jesus as her greatest Joy in life. In the 1990’s she launched her own show on a local T.V. station called “Bridging the Faiths” the basis of the show was to find the commonalities in the different Christian faiths. Her hope was that finding those commonalities we could be more united and “Bridge the faiths”.
Ethel enjoyed making unique creations out of eggs, singing karaoke, and she also loved to gamble, one of her favorite games was Texas Hold’em and she wouldn’t feel bad taking your money in a hot game, didn’t matter if you were her grandchild.
Ethel is survived by 7 of her 9 children, Catherine Umstead, Michael Johnson, Nancy Newbold, Carl Johnson, Mary Johnson-Ostlund, Walter Johnson Jr. and Samuel Johnson. She is also survived by 44, Grandchildren, 64 Great Grandchildren and 1 Great, great Grandchild. She is preceded in death by her husband Walt Johnson, daughter Susan Howard, son David Johnson, Grandson John Howard, Great Grandson Kai Bartlett, and Great Granddaughter Bonnie Johnson.