Karen Johnson

Karen P. Johnson, of Cleveland, TN, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on April 12, 2025.

Our beloved Mom and "Mimi," Karen was born on December 7, 1952, in East St. Louis, Illinois. Her father, D.T. "Tom" Moffitt, a WWII veteran from Kansas City, MO, and her mother, Ellen Crehan Moffitt, a nurse from Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland, raised Karen alongside her older brother, Gordan, in O'Fallon, IL. Tom and Ellen were entrepreneurs-first operating a discount store that was considered ahead of its time, and later founding the well-loved St. Clair Indoor Tennis Club, where Karen often worked.

Karen attended Althoff Catholic School and then Belleville High School. It was there Karen developed the most beautiful handwriting-something still admired by family and friends to this day.

Karen was a beautiful, intelligent, athletic, and sociable young woman. She earned numerous accolades, trophies, and awards as a tennis player, gymnast, and cheerleader. She was active in school clubs, community organizations, and the Catholic Church. As a child, she also played piano, volleyball, and ice skated.

She attended and graduated from Arkansas State University with both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Education. After college, Karen became a physical education teacher and head coach of the women's tennis team at Belleville Area College, where she led the team to the NJCAA National Tournament.

In 1977, Karen married Dr. Daniel Vern Johnson at the historic Old Cathedral in St. Louis. The couple first lived in Glendale, AZ, then Pittsburgh, PA-where they welcomed their first two sons, Sean and Zach. In Hampton, VA, Karen gave birth to their daughters, Caitlin and Christine. The family eventually settled in Cleveland, TN, where their youngest son, Patrick, was born.

Karen devoted her life to raising and loving her five children. She was deeply involved in her community, cherished her friendships, adored her dogs, and never missed an opportunity to cheer at thousands of her children's sporting events. She was the heart of her home and the happiest being "Mimi" to her 11 grandchildren-who, along with her husband Dan, kept her joyfully busy throughout their 47 wonderful years together.

Karen will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her husband, Dr. Daniel Johnson; her brother, Gordan Moffitt (Cookie); her five children: Sean (Elizabeth), Zachary, Caitlin (Michael), Christine (Gregory), and Patrick (Fiona); and her 11 grandchildren: Mabry, McKinley, Madison, Chandler, James, Quinn, Luke, Rory, Mara, Ellen, and Webb. She was preceded in death by her parents, D.T. and Ellen Moffitt, and her nephew, Christian Moffitt.

A celebration of Karen's life will be held on April 25th at St. Therese Catholic Church at 900 Clingan Ridge Dr NW, Cleveland, TN 37312, with a visitation at 10:00am and the funeral Mass to follow at 12:00pm. She will be laid to rest at Chattanooga National Cemetery on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 2:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mind What Matters or the Alzheimer's Association.