Elizabeth Young Johnson–also known as "Betsy"–died peacefully on Sunday, July 29th at her home in Salem with her three adult children by her side. Betsy was born on March 8, 1941 in Salem, Ohio to William Eugene Young and Virginia McKee Young. An active, affable student known for her ever-ready smile, Betsy graduated from Salem High School in 1959 after being voted "kindest" by her classmates. Betsy went on to graduate cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Denison University in 1963. Shortly after, she became the first female bank officer at National City Bank of Cleveland. While studying at Denison, Betsy met Tom Johnson of Jamestown, New York. The two spent the first summer of their courtship on the banks of Lake Chautauqua, Betsy working as a waitress at the Athenaeum Hotel with wages of $10 per week, and Tom passing his days in his father's plumbing shop. Often, after his workday ended, Tom would pick up Betsy on his wooden Lyman Runabout boat for a sunset spin on the lake. The couple wed on June 27, 1964 among the rose gardens of Betsy's home on Highland Avenue. Following their wedding, Tom and Betsy embarked on a honeymoon through Europe. A preserved itinerary calls out "a full-day motorbike excursion to Montserrat" in Spain and a stroll in Stockholm's old city with "its winding, narrow streets and old churches." It was an exhilarating trip that the young newlyweds hoped to retrace later in life. During their early years together, Betsy and Tom resided in Buffalo, NY while Tom completed his dentistry training at SUNY Buffalo and later moved to Fort Carson, Colorado during Tom's stint in the U.S. Army. There, they welcomed Mark, their first child. Tom and Betsy then returned to Salem where they lived out their married life together. Soon after, Betsy gave birth to Sarah, a daughter, followed later by Daniel, a second son. Betsy prized family above all else, often spurring them to travel, whether to go water skiing on Chautauqua Lake or to ride horses at a dude ranch in the Rocky Mountains. Back at home, Betsy championed the Salem community at every turn. She delivered hot meals to senior citizens, taught Sunday school at the First Presbyterian Church, and served as the secretary of the Salem High School Alumni Association, among other volunteer activities. In 1997, Betsy was diagnosed with a degenerative illness. As a result, she spent more than two decades at long-term care facilities including Crandall Medical Center, a place where the nurses and staff provided Betsy with loving care and support. After his retirement, Tom faithfully visited Betsy twice daily to assist with meals. Inseparable in sickness and in health, Tom and Betsy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2014 at the Salem Golf Club with family members. During their final years together, Betsy and Tom continued to give back to the Salem community making philanthropic gifts, among others, to help build the Salem Community Center and more recently to update the sprawling wooden play structure at Centennial Park, where their grandkids still love to pass long summer afternoons. Mrs. Johnson was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Thomas Brock Johnson. She is survived by her son Mark residing in Santa Monica, California; daughter Sarah residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; son Daniel residing in Boston, Massachusetts; and sister Barbara Bennett residing in Columbus, Ohio. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Shayda and Kian, children of Dr. Mark Johnson and Dr. Parrish Sadeghi; Olanna and Luka, children of Daniel Johnson and Dr. Ebele Okpokwasili-Johnson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Salem High School Alumni Association or to "Dr. Thomas B. and Elizabeth Y. Johnson Legacy Fund for Family Caregivers" in recognition and in support of family members caring for loved ones stricken with debilitating illnesses. To contribute, please mail the donations to POB 113, Salem, Ohio 44460-0113.