This is my Tribute to my sister Beth as I will always remember her. Unfortunately I did not get to speak with her prior to her unexpected death and could not be there when she passed. Time was not on our side and this further enhances my personal loss. She was my mentor and the big brother that I never had. She paved and showed me the road of life for the person I am today. Your spirit will be with me for the rest of my life with the prayer that someday we see each other again. Until then rest in heavenly peace with those in our family that have passed before us. May God bless us all.
Beth as my eldest sister started adult life at the tender age of 14. Independent and wild but with a purpose to live an adventurous life to its fullest. A mother at 17 to Johnathan Sanders she focused her life to be caring with providing for others before her own needs. Beth always put everyone's wants and needs before her own throughout her life. She endured a life full of constant personal setbacks that she always worked through. Many of these issues would have permanently crippled most people's soul or feelings on humanity. These issues only made her love deeper, mentally smarter, stronger and more determined.
In 1979 at 25 she enlisted in the US Navy serving our country proudly with honor until the early 90's. While serving she had her son Jeremy in 1982. Her military dedication was respected by both her superiors and peers. This inspired me to join the US Navy after graduating high school. She managed being a mother with her military service seamlessly. In serving our country she overall sacrificed her health which later made her permanently disabled. This was a leading cause to her early death.
Upon her honorable disability discharge from the military she took over the required constant loving care of our mother in 1999 until her death in 2017. No one could have provided the required time for the necessary and constant care our mother needed over this 18 year span except Beth. She truly sacrificed her life to the care of her family. The loss of our mother along with her own health issues aged her dramatically over her last 2 1/2 years. She still had a very strong purpose in life providing and caring for her son, daughter in-law and grandson until the very end. There are not enough words to describe her unselfish way of life she shared for those around her.
Beth's morals in my opinion were to be respectful yet cautious, give first and show appreciation for what you are given in return, take care of what you have even if it's not a lot, do a job right or don't do it at all, and do unto others as you would want them to do onto you, and finally always put your family first.
Hopefully in reading this everyone can take something useful from it to help make their life fuller or more memorable. Beth would want anyone to benefit from her life experiences, dedication and perseverance. It's her way of continuing to give.
If she touched your life as she has mine please take the time to honor her with your thoughts, wishes or memories. If you know me I would also appreciate your time in sharing your thoughts on her life as you knew her.
Love Always,
Your brother Bart Johnson
George Bartow Johnson, Jr.
Uss Josephus Daniels CG-27
US Navy 1983-1987
IC2 Johnson
