Maudine Johnson

Maudine Smith Johnson passed from this life on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024 at Belfair of McAlester, Oklahoma. Maudine was the eighth child of eleven born to Golden O. and Lena Mae (Frair) Smith near the community of Trenton in rural southwest McIntosh County.

 Maudine is survived by her sons: Ron Johnson and wife Candis of Ben Wheeler, TX, Marvin Johnson of Eufaula, OK David Johnson and wife Glenda of Eufaula, OK and one sister, Lizziebeth Looper of Carson, OK. Maudine was blessed with eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild along with many nephews, nieces, and a host of life-long friends, including a very special friend, Verna Brackett.

 Maudine grew up living the life of a sharecropper's daughter near Dustin, OK. Maudine accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior during her youth and was baptized at First Baptist Church in Dustin. Maudine received her education in Dustin Public Schools where she was involved in 4-H, basketball and softball. Maudine was a proud graduate of Dustin High School in the class of 1954. Maudine always looked forward to attending the Dustin Alumni Banquet each year. For Maudine, Dustin was heaven on earth.

 On April 4, 1953, Maudine married Carrel Johnson at First Baptist Church in Dustin. They shared 63 years of marriage before Carrel passed away in 2017. Maudine and Carrel spent their early years together in the Witchita/Haysville, KS area here Maudine worked as a keypunch operator for Boeing Aircraft Company. While in Kansas, Maudine loved to play softball in the summer and bowling in the winter. In 1968, Maudine and the family returned to Oklahoma where she found employment at American Airlines in Tulsa in data processing. Maudine and Carrel always desired to return home where their life began. They purchased land west of Eufaula beginning in the 1950s and eventually built a home on the property lovingly known as "The Farm." Maudine and the family moved to the farm during the summer of 1970 where she was able to live a full life until her health began to fail in 2022.

 Over the years on the farm, Maudine enjoyed caring for her yard, tending flowers around the house, planting a big garden each summer and canning the produce and decorating for holidays, especially Christmas. Maudine worked at Elsing, a local sewing factory, for a number of years before gaining employment at Eufaula Public Schools in the food service department before retiring in 2001. Maudine had a passion for coaching girls' softball, and she coached summer league softball for over 30 years, impacting the lives of many teenage girls. When grandchildren came along, Maudine was a devoted grandmother; she would often sacrifice her own wants and needs for the grandchildren. Maudine loved going to J.M.'s restaurant every Friday or Saturday night to enjoy J.M's shrimp dinners. Maudine spent her retirement years reading romance books at night, watching Atlanta Braves baseball, University of Oklahoma women's basketball and softball, Gaither gospel music programs and old westerns on television such as Tales of Wells Fargo and Gunsmoke. 

 When Carrel's health began to fail, Maudine was a faithful caretaker for him until his death. Maudine was always a small framed person but was certainly a tough one. She survived a terrible car accident, major colon surgery, cardiac problems and eventually colon cancer, but she always overcame her health issues. Maudine's health began to fail when dementia developed and manifested to Alheimer's disease. When Maudine could no longer live alone, she left the farm and transitioned to Belfair of McAlester Assisted Living. Maudine accepted the change of lifestyle gracefully and never complained about leaving the farm. At Belfair, Maudine was known for always dressing up for meals in the dining room, sewing on some type of garment, and watching music programs and Gunsmoke on television.

 The family is so very thankful to the staff and caregivers at Belfair of McAlester and Southeast Hospice for the compassionate and loving care provided to Maudine.

 Maudine was preceded in death by her husband Carrel Johnson; her parents, six brothers: Jessie Smith, Edward Smith, Arlie Smith, Johnny Ray Smith, Charles Smith and Jasper Gene Smith; and three sisters: Cora Ashton, Wordna Martin, and Morice Thomas as well as a very special friend Wendy Fromdahl.