Thelma Marie Johnson, 82, a lifetime resident of Rockport, passed away on Monday, December 30, 2024 at home with her family by her side.

She was born in a cabin in Rockport, one of four children of Arvel and Blanch (Welch) Cress. She attended grade school in Rockport and high school in Concrete.

Thelma's passion was working outside in her flower gardens, rain or sunshine, with a shovel in her hand. She was so frequently working in her yard, folks camping at the park and local friends would stop to admire her yard and chat with her. Thelma enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting and spinning wool to create her own yarn.

She was a hard worker and a lifelong learner. No job was too big for her, completing a beautiful rock wall and two cement fishponds in her yard throughout the years. She was driven to know how things work. Curious by nature, she was always up to the task of taking something apart in order to fix it.

Her greatest passion was spending time with family, never passing up an opportunity to gather for food and laughter. Her grand and great grandchildren were her greatest joy.

Thelma was united in marriage to Warnie Johnson in Rockport in October of 1960 and made it their home for 50 years, before Warnie's passing in 2011.

Thelma is survived by her daughters, Tonya Brumley and her husband Dan of Mount Vernon, Korrena Gross and her husband Tim of Mount Vernon, and Paula Torgeson and her husband Todd of Sedro-Woolley; brother, Rick Cress of Burlington; eight grandchildren, Marie, Katrina, Kelsey, Kara, Kaelin, Terrel, Taylor and Emma; seventeen, great grandchildren, Lucas, Miah, Bailey, Christopher, Michael, Sophia, Wyatt, Austin, Rylee, Logan, Nathan, Natalie, Roman, Ava, Archer, Olivia, and Carson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Warnie; her parents; two brothers, Harvey and Ervin.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 10, 2024 at 12:00 pm at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley. Interment will follow at Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery after which a fellowship will be held at the Sedro-Woolley Community Center.   Share your memories of Thelma and sign the online guest register.