Judy Marie Turkia Johnson, 71

Judith Marie Turkia Johnson, 71, fell asleep in Jesus on December 29, 2021, surrounded by her loving family after a long battle with cancer.

Judy was born to Roy and Helga (Jarvi) Turkia on January 13, 1950. A native of Butte, Montana, the granddaughter of Finnish immigrants who came to work in the Butte mines, she attended Butte elementary and high schools. After graduation, she worked as a bank teller.

In 1971 Judy met Bill Johnson at the Raymond Supper Club on Harrison Avenue in Butte. They were married on January 18, 1973, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and came directly to the Boulder Valley where they have made their home ever since.

In the early years of their marriage, Judy and Bill became deeply dedicated members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and have remained so throughout their lives. They reopened the Adventist Church in Boulder and served as leaders there for 35 years. More recently, they have been part of the Adventist Church in Whitehall, MT.

Judy had a lot of interests that she pursued throughout her lifetime. Painting, knitting, crocheting, sewing, cooking, canning, ancestry, and reading were some of her all-time favorites. But above all other interests, Judy considered her grandchildren to be the most important. There were no other people on earth who meant more to her than them. She often said, "The grandkids are my life."

Judy is survived by her husband Bill; daughters and sons-in-law Carly (Brian) Hadley, Lisa (Jim) Kack, and Sara (Dave) Erickson; precious grandchildren Brandon and Jared Hadley, Madalynn, Jim, Jacquelyn, Emmy, and Sam Kack, and Ally and Whitney Erickson; brother Jim (Mikki) Turkia; cousin Eric (Jane) Jarvi; treasured nieces and nephew Shawna (Kevin) Rogers, Shana (Jeremiah) Southall, and Craig (Toni) Watkins; special friends Jeannette Russell, Steve Lloyd, Debbie Horne, Rod Schwab and others too numerous to name who were family to Judy.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents Roy and Helga, brother Wayne, parents-in-law Dave and Emma Johnson, and an infant son.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Catholic Community Center in Boulder, Montana with Elder Steve Lloyd officiating.

Judy and Bill request that all memorials be sent to Laymen Ministries, 414 Zapada Rd, St. Maries, Idaho 83861. Donations should be marked as "Judy Johnson Memorial Gift." Laymen Ministries is a ministry dedicated to proclaiming the soon-coming of Jesus around the world.