Helen E Johnson-Carlson

Helen Elizabeth Westman Johnson Carlson left this world to be with her Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 13th, 2012 at Scott and White hospital in Temple, TX. She had fallen several days earlier which resulted in a massive, unrecoverable injury to her brain. Her Christian faith gave her great confidence and strength, and she passed from this world peacefully. She endured her last days without complaint, giving a fine example to her family and to the hospital staff. Helen, originally from Minnesota, was born on February 4, 1918 to Swedish immigrant parents, John E. and Andrietta (Larson) Westman, the second of three children. Her early years were spent in the Fish Lake community in north-central Minnesota, home to a large extended family and 100 cousins. When she was a teen-ager her family moved to Grand Rapids, Minnesota where she graduated from Grand Rapids High in 1936 and later married one of her classmates, Eldon C. Johnson, on May 20, 1939. They had three children, Phillip Eldon, Karla Kay and Jeffrey Eldon. Over the course of their marriage they lived in several places- primarily in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota before settling in Lampasas, Texas in the early 1970’s where she remained until her death. Helen was a “stay-at-home-mother” most of the time, but did work alongside her husband in his grocery and other food related businesses on several occasions. She was a self disciplined person; if she started something, she finished it, and she was fond of saying, “if you’re going to do something, do it right!” Helen’s beloved husband, Eldon, died on July 27, 1984. Four years later, Harold Carlson, someone she knew as a child, convinced her to marry again, so they married on September 3, 1988. Harold died May 19, 2006. Preceding Helen in death in addition to Eldon and Harold were her two siblings, John (Jack) Westman and Marjorie Westman Panek. She is survived by her three children and families: son Phillip Johnson, his sons Michel Johnson (wife, Bridgett) and Erik Johnson and Catherine Johnson Barlow, Michel and Erik’s mother; daughter Karla Johnson Hastings (husband, Allen) and children, Paul Hastings (wife, Mandy), Eva Hastings Wolf (husband, Jason), Elizabeth Hastings Terrell (husband, Hank), Lela Hastings Ripamonti (husband, Anthony) and Benjamin Hastings (wife, Lynn); and son Jeffrey Johnson (wife, Malinda) and daughter Meredith. In addition to children and grandchildren, Helen is survived by the three children of Harold Carlson, Joann, Paul, and Douglas, 2 of his sisters, Diane Koschmeder and Glee Cummo many great-grandchildren and other relatives. Helen was a long time member of Faith Lutheran Church in Lampasas and for quite some time had the distinction of being the oldest member of the congregation. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 17th at 11:00 A.M. at Faith Lutheran Church with interment at Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, July 16th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m at Sneed Funeral Chapel.