Hope loses community pillar with death of Barb Johnson

The town of Hope lost one of its icons Tuesday, with the death of Barb Johnson.

Johnson was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Simmons One-Room Schoolhouse, and had led the Yellow Trail Museum in various capacities since 1984.

She created and organized large community events including the town’s Christmas of Yesteryear, the Old-Fashioned Independence Day and the recently revived Civil War Days.

An elementary school teacher by profession, she received the Sagamore of the Wabash for her work with the one-room schoolhouse, was honored with the Edna V. Folger Outstanding Teaching Award, was an outstanding Hauser alumni and was chosen the Republic’s Woman of the Year.

She leaves behind her husband Ed, two daughters, two sons and two sisters. Barb was 71. She died Tuesday morning in hospice care at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Funeral arrangements are being handled through Norman Funeral Home in Hope.