Frances Adele Johnson
April 15, 1929 - June 21, 2026
Celebrating the Life of Frances Adele Johnson
Frances Adele Johnson passed away on June 22, 2026, at Riverbend Nursing and Rehab. She was 97 years old. Adele was born on April 15, 1929, in Jacksonville, FL to John Frederick Gries and Serena Gries. She graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and went on to earn an associate degree. She built a successful career as a life insurance underwriter at Pacific Standard Life Insurance Company, where she was the only woman authorized to write policies over $1,000,000 on her own signature – a remarkable achievement for a woman of her generation.
On September 11, 2004, Adele married William “Bill” Johnson at Davis United Methodist Church. Over two decades, Bill and Adele shared a love of the water, spending countless weekends exploring on their yacht and hosting fellow members of their yacht club, where Bill served as president. Every Christmas, they made their famous fudge together, selling it to loyal customers at the local craft fair. When Bills health declined, Adele cared for him with the same determination that marked her whole life. He passed in March 2024, and Adele – though she slowed down after losing him – remained her sharp, funny self until the end.
Adele was known for doing everything with style. She dressed to the nines, always. She was known for her cooking skills and loved hosting elegant dinners with her fine china, and she had a gift for making every guest feel special. Alongside her daughter Patti, she ran a ceramics business for years, creating and teaching pottery she loved to give away as gifts. She was tough, she was bossy, and she was hilarious – the kind of woman her family loved to laugh with and about, right up until sepsis took its toll.
Adele was on the Endowment Board for Lodi First UMC for years, something she was very proud to be a part of. As a member of Davis UMC, she provided beautiful arrangements every Sunday for the alter.
Adele is survived by her children, Patti Miller (David Miller), Robert Stivers, and James Stivers, along with step-daughter Catherine Evans; grandchildren Tasha Hays, George Hays (Michelle), Tony Hays (Liz Carden), Jeremy Higgins (Kristen), and Britney Galvin (Isaiah); and a large circle of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren who adored her. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Johnson, and her daughter, Zoelynda Hays.
A Celebration of Life service for Adele will be held at Lodi First United Methodist Church in Lodi, CA on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 11:00 am. All friends and family are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to Lodi First United Methodist Church.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Johnson family.
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