Obituary: Darla Johnston

They both loved being part of the Underwood community, making life-long friends with the Sooters, Zieglers, Murrays, Yarnells and many other families.

They built their own house, working nights and weekends, while both were working full-time jobs. They often read books to learn about construction, particularly to learn about the plumbing and electrical work.

Darla loved playing pranks on people — like when her parents came to visit her and Ray in Forks, they dressed up to greet her parents as if they had decided to become hippies, complete with long hair, floppy hats, bell-bottoms, sandals and love beads.

Darla was never afraid to speak up for what she felt was right. She devoted her life to service to God and her family. Darla was a member of many congregations and served in many capacities, including teaching Sunday School, and managing a Vacation Bible School program for several years at Grace Baptist.

She loved her family unreservedly, and enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren whenever she had the opportunity. She unselfishly did end-of-life caregiving for her mother-in-law, her father, her husband and her mother.

One of Darla’s first jobs was working at the Phoenix newspaper the Arizona Republic and Gazette, where she met her future husband, Ray Johnston. She attained dual Bachelor of Science degrees at Arizona State University in chemistry and biology, and started working as a medical technologist in Phoenix.

She also worked as a med tech in Aberdeen, Wash., and finished her med tech career working at Skyline hospital in White Salmon, Wash., for many years.

Darla always enjoyed teaching, beginning her teaching career in Phoenix teaching classes to other medical technologists. Later in life, she returned to school to obtain her teaching credential and then worked as a school teacher for junior high and high school. She taught many subjects in that role, from chemistry to the alternative school and to welding.

Darla studied voice and accordion in her youth, playing the accordion often and later gave accordion lessons. She directed many church choirs and special musical programs, and sang and played in many choir choirs. She also was a member of a professional choir in Phoenix which performed in formal clothes and long gloves. They appeared with various celebrities, including Dick Van Dyke. She sang with Sweet Adelines for many years. One of her favorite things was going to her daughter’s restaurant in Hood River to listen to Moe Dixon perform on Wednesday nights.

Darla loved playing sports, and took every opportunity to play and to try something new, including some spontaneous midnight bowling when she lived in Phoenix. She played on a softball league for several years in Phoenix, and enjoyed fishing, camping, tennis and all water sports. In 2016, she was able to do stand-up-paddle boarding on her first attempt, while her two younger sisters watched her from the riverbank after their failed attempts.

Darla enjoyed travel, including trips to visit family in Iowa, New Mexico, Arizona and California. She was able to go on three cruises with her family to the Caribbean, Alaska and Nova Scotia, and on two trips to Hawaii with her sisters. She also took a trip to New York City to watch the ball drop one New Year’s Eve.

She did many small acts of kindness, including paying a neighbor’s electric bill when they couldn’t afford it. She chaired and participated in innumerable fundraising events for good causes over the years. She loved being part of non-profit organizations in the Underwood area, serving on the CEKC-UCC Board of Directors and was the vice president of the Underwood Community Council. She was one of the founding members of the Underwood Community Gardens. She worked very hard on preserving the Community Center and the Underwood Park. One of the last items on her list was trying to help save the Stevenson pool.

She loved participating in the Underwood Book Club and often talked about the great women she got to know and the interesting books she was exposed to that she never would have read otherwise.

On her last birthday, Darla’s children and grandchildren got together to celebrate her birthday. She appeared to be the picture of health, and was thrilled to be able to take a long motorcycle ride with her son on the back of his motorcycle.

Even though she did not have much notice, she was at peace with dying and was ready to be reunited with her parents, brother and husband. Those of you who knew Darla well will not be surprised that she shared some tips for her obituary before she died.

Darla passed away on Aug. 12, 2020, and was buried in the Underwood Chris-Zada Cemetery, the same place where she often donated her time to clean up and decorate graves.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in law, Jay and Laurie Johnston; her daughter and son-in-law, Shawna and Mike Caldwell; her sisters Janice Roberts and Neola Mace; grandchildren Wesley Johnston, Sophie Caldwell, Derrick Johnston, Griffin Caldwell and Taryn Johnston; her niece Tannya Roberts; and nephews Aaron and Ryan Roberts.