Del Norte – Longtime Del Norte resident Luriene Bernice Johnston, 83, passed away on August 5, 2015. She was born on October 27, 1931 in Lamar, Colorado to Walter and Ethel Bronson. Luriene grew up in Las Animas, Colorado and attended school there. She met Wesley Charles Johnston in 1946 and they were married in September of 1947. They lived together in Rocky Ford for ten years. While living there she worked in several cafes and a wool processing plant. She moved to the San Luis Valley in 1965. While living in the valley, she spent 22 years working for Cannon Potato Company. Luriene was an active member of Gateway Baptist Church in Del Norte. She was baptized in September of 1986. She taught 3 & 4 year old children in Sunday school and took care of the nursery for 6 years, and she also cleaned the church for several years. Luriene loved her house plants and flowers, before arthritis, she enjoyed crocheting. She would spend hours doing word search puzzles and enjoyed collecting salt and pepper shakers.
She is survived by her children; Jay J. Johnston of Alamosa, Susanna (Archie) Atencio of Del Norte, Patricia Johnston of South Fork and Timothy R. (Sandra) Johnston of Del Norte, 24 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren, with 2 more on the way, her sisters, Myrtle Roelli of Oregon City, Oregon and Helen L. Maudlin of Scottsburg, Indiana.
Luriene was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, son and daughter-in-law, Charles Rickey, (Janis) Johnston, grandson, Devon Johnston, siblings, Wilfred Bronson, Opal Kalma, Loretta Peak and 2 baby brothers. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at the Gateway Baptist Church in Del Norte. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow services in the Del Norte Cemetery.

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