Colchester-born woman's quiet acts of kindness helped to make the world a better place
On November 8, 2020, Lorraine Elizabeth (Bushey) Johnson passed away peacefully in her sleep at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. Her passing brought to a close the remarkable 90-year journey of a woman who, through her quiet acts of kindness, helped to make the world a better place. A devoted wife, a beloved mother and grandmother, and a friend to all who knew her, Lorraine will be forever missed but never forgotten. “Rainy” Bushey came into the world on July 6, 1930, at the Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester, Vt. Her parents, Perley and Charlotte (St. John) Bushey, soon brought her home to their house on Cherry Street in Milton, and Lorraine flourished in the bustling household, joining her sister, Marg, and her brothers Paul, Ken, Arnie and (later) Phil on countless fun-filled adventures. Even at the height of the Depression, Lorraine never wanted for anything, for her family raised their own pigs and chickens and kept their kitchen shelves well-stocked with the bounty from their garden. Lorraine’s love of gardening took root during these formative years, as did her love of learning. Her inquiring mind and willingness to work hard helped her excel in her studies at Milton High School, and she graduated as valedictorian of the small but proud class of 1947, remaining lifelong friends with many of her classmates and fellow teammates on the MHS basketball team. Marriage and motherhood were the next milestones that Lorraine encountered. Shortly after she began studying political science at the University of Vermont, she met the love of her life, Allen Johnson, while out with friends in downtown Burlington. The two married on January 6, 1950, and became parents a year later with the birth of their first daughter, Kathryn. That May, Allen and baby Kathy watched with pride as Lorraine graduated from UVM and received her pin from the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Following the birth of their second daughter, Patricia, the Johnsons purchased a house on North Avenue in Burlington, where Lorraine would live for the next 60 years. It wasn’t long before the Johnson household resembled Lorraine’s childhood home: On any given day, one could hear the laughter and play of six children rumbling through the house; the squawk of a radio or the hum of the lathe as Allen tinkered in the basement; and the quiet scratch of a rake and trowel…
Colchester-born woman's quiet acts of kindness helped to make the world a better place
On November 8, 2020, Lorraine Elizabeth (Bushey) Johnson passed away peacefully in her sleep at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. Her passing brought to a close the remarkable 90-year journey of a woman who, through her quiet acts of kindness, helped to make the world a better place. A devoted wife, a beloved mother and grandmother, and a friend to all who knew her, Lorraine will be forever missed but never forgotten. “Rainy” Bushey came into the world on July 6, 1930, at the Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester, Vt. Her parents, Perley and Charlotte (St. John) Bushey, soon brought her home to their house on Cherry Street in Milton, and Lorraine flourished in the bustling household, joining her sister, Marg, and her brothers Paul, Ken, Arnie and (later) Phil on countless fun-filled adventures. Even at the height of the Depression, Lorraine never wanted for anything, for her family raised their own pigs and chickens and kept their kitchen shelves well-stocked with the bounty from their garden. Lorraine’s love of gardening took root during these formative years, as did her love of learning. Her inquiring mind and willingness to work hard helped her excel in her studies at Milton High School, and she graduated as valedictorian of the small but proud class of 1947, remaining lifelong friends with many of her classmates and fellow teammates on the MHS basketball team. Marriage and motherhood were the next milestones that Lorraine encountered. Shortly after she began studying political science at the University of Vermont, she met the love of her life, Allen Johnson, while out with friends in downtown Burlington. The two married on January 6, 1950, and became parents a year later with the birth of their first daughter, Kathryn. That May, Allen and baby Kathy watched with pride as Lorraine graduated from UVM and received her pin from the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Following the birth of their second daughter, Patricia, the Johnsons purchased a house on North Avenue in Burlington, where Lorraine would live for the next 60 years. It wasn’t long before the Johnson household resembled Lorraine’s childhood home: On any given day, one could hear the laughter and play of six children rumbling through the house; the squawk of a radio or the hum of the lathe as Allen tinkered in the basement; and the quiet scratch of a rake and trowel…
