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Barbara (Johnson) Peterson: Submitted by her
daughter Starlie Espinoza
John and Barbara moved to California in 1982.
Starlie had relocated to California and since she
is their only child, they packed it up and came along.
Barbara has four grandchildren and one
great grandchild: Jessica (28) married to Gene
in 1997 and have a son, Brandon (4), Jennifer (27),
Jamie (18) and Johnathan
(16).
Barbara retired in 1993, the year after John
passed away (1992). Dad was blind for almost two
full years before he died and
Mom did so much.
In 1994
we brought her parents, Marie and Kermit
Johnson, to California. Mom was their caretaker for
five
years, They both passed away in 1999. Now
she
only has David (my husband), Jamie, Johnathan
and I to pick up after! Just
kidding, but she just never
stops
(or sits down) for too long.
After 1999, Mom's hip started bothering her.
Our yard really started to fall apart! She couldn't do
much of the gardening she has always enjoyed.
(In the past she had dug out three deep fish ponds
in our back yard. We had fish 6 inches long in those
ponds. Guess she was trying to bring a little of
Wisconsin to the west. No fishing signs were posted.)
Arthritis had made it almost impossible to do anything.
In the fall of 2002, she had a total hip replacement and
ever since she has been pain free. We keep the
shovel hidden.
Mom enjoys keeping in touch with Jack and Barb
Mattison and Bill and Bev Bune. It's been eight years
since she's been back to Wisconsin now.
She was originally a California girl and will probably
continue to be one!
It's funny how
time just seems to fly by,
going faster
as each year passes. I know that we
all
are still 18 inside, it's just that the everything
else seems to show the wear and tear.
So as Barbara's daughter, we both wish everyone well.
