Linda Lee Johnson

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

On Tuesday, September 24, Linda Lee Johnson, beloved sister, aunt, cousin, friend passed away, after a 1 1/2 year battle with pancreatic cancer.  Her last days were spent with her many friends and her two brothers.

There will be Vigil on Thursday, September 26 from 6-8 PM, with the rosary prayed at 6:30 at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Millcreek. Guests are encouraged to use parking and entrance located on the north side of the building. Funeral Mass will be celebrated the following day, Friday, September 27, at 11:30 AM at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 3015 Creek Road, Cottonwood Heights.

Born to Louis and Jane Rishavy January 8^th 1950, in Owatonna, Mn. She attended St. Mary’s primary school and graduated from Marian High School. She began piano lessons early on and continued to play both piano and organ throughout her life. She attended St. Teresa College in Winona, Mn. and graduated with a B.S. in Nursing. From there Linda moved with her friend and fellow nurse, Stephanie, to Moline Il., where she worked in cardiac care for 10 years. After volunteering to work as a nurse at the Yellowstone National Park medical clinic for several summers, she made the decision to move to Salt Lake City.  She began working  in cardiac care at LDS Hospital and eventually became a health care quality coordinator. She earned an M.A. to advance her career. Ensuring quality health care was her passion, not only in Salt Lake but even in Alaska for a year.  Multiple healthcare organizations benefited from her expertise and many friendships were formed over the years.

Outside of work, being outdoors in nature was her happy place. Whether it was enjoying a concert at Red Butte with a buddy, seeking out hawks and eagles with her Hawk Watch gang, hiking the myriads of parks and canyons in the Mountain West or Northwest, or simply nature walking literally hundreds of miles along the Jordan River and elsewhere with a friend of 30 years and her four-legged buddies, Linda was in her element. After losing her beloved dog, Lady, she became second mom to Copper and Tori.

She joined the Osher Life Long Learning Institute at the University of Utah in 2010, taking over 80 classes right through summer 2024. In 2018, she volunteered to serve on the Osher Curriculum Committee and served as the committee’s Chair over the past year.

Linda’s passion for birding was born from her first field trip to the Bear River Refuge during a day-long Great Salt Lake Bird Festival. In typical fashion, Linda jumped in with both feet. She took the courses, did the field work and became an accomplished birder, able to instantly identify birds both by sight and song.  Before long, she was volunteering with Great Salt Lake Audubon and took on the Public Outreach position when it became available. Linda went on to join the GSLA Board, led a regular field trip and volunteered at many GSLA events. She also participated in various community science projects through Tracy Aviary. Binoculars became a permanent part of her attire.

Linda’s love of nature, birds and especially Yellowstone was reflected in the plethora of photographs she took along the way. She shared those photos willingly and with love, along with small gifts and mementos, with those she thought of whilst on any one of her many adventures.  She participated in the annual Yellowstone Summit for many years and as recently as 2023, hiked Mt. Washburn, her all-time go-to favorite place on earth, with two of her dearest friends.

A life-long Catholic, she was a constant on the altar of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Linda coordinated the Lectors and served as a Eucharistic minister for many years. She took advantage of every opportunity to grow in and engage with her faith community.

She was a true friend, always dependable, honest and stalwart in her convictions. There is quite simply not enough space here to name the many who will mourn the loss of this exceptional woman. Linda was recently cared for by friends who cleaned her home, escorted her to doctors’ appointments, brought her food, cared tenderly for her during pre-and post op procedures and sat with her for hours sharing stories and lifting her spirits as much as possible. You know who you are and that you are forever blessed to have had your life touched in ways great and small by one of God’s special gifts to this earth. Special thanks to the compassionate care provided by Blair and London from Huntsman at Home as well as the many other healthcare professionals who traveled this unfortunate journey with her. If you were lucky enough to know Linda, you were lucky enough. So long as there are birds singing in the hereafter, Linda will know she has truly died and gone to heaven!

Linda is survived by her brothers Jim (Joy) Rishavy and John (Sandra) Rishavy … She is preceded in death by her mother and father … and her furry sweetheart Lady who will be laid to rest by her side.

Donations in her memory may be directed to Best Friends Animal Shelter, Greater Salt Lake Audubon, Utah Public Radio, or Pancreatic cancer research.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Starks Funeral Parlor.