Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, volunteer, traveler

Claremont resident LaLoie J. Johnson, better known as “Loie,” died October 18. She was 86 years old.

Loie was born in Santa Monica, and graduated from Santa Monica High. After high school she began working as a bookkeeper for Bank of America. She then moved to Montclair and went to work for Sears, at its Holt Avenue location in Pomona, first as a sales associate, then cashier, and finishing her 25-year career as a human resources specialist.

She met her h­usband Gale while they both worked at Sears. They married in 1974, a union that would last nearly 48 years.

The Johnsons moved to Claremont in 1978. Their home and pool became known in the summer months as “camp Johnson” to both parents and children.

The couple had the good fortune to travel the world and enjoy many trips to Hawaii. She became associated with The Assistance League of Pomona Valley, where she was elected to the board and served as president of that chapter for one term. The League maintains a dental center for underserved children of Pomona, and she worked on many of the supporting fundraising events and other philanthropic projects put on by the Pomona chapter.

The couple is survived by their blended family, including children Marji Pittman, Steve Pittman, Christi Bobik, Tracy Miller and Kelly Johnson; twelve grandchildren; and an amazing 28 great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by son Michael Pittman in 2007.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, November 5 at Claremont Presbyterian Church, 1111 N. Mountain Ave., with a small gathering on the church patio afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Assistance League of Pomona Valley at https://alpv.org/fundraisers/donate, or by check to 655 N. Palomares St., Pomona, CA 91767.