Submitted to The Eugene Register Guard, Wednesday, May 3rd, 2000 (written by Kate with help from Merrie and Carol):

A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held May 4th for Colene (Garoutte) Johnson of Eugene, who died April 30th of heart failure. She was 59.

Colene was born February 19th, 1941 in Astoria, Oregon to Colen and Lorraine Garoutte (both deceased). Colene graduated from South Eugene High School in 1959 and from the University of Oregon in 1964. She moved to Carmel, California in 1970 where she met David Kendrick Johnson. They married in Eugene, Oregon on February 14, 1972. They moved from Carmel to Eugene in 1986, where David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. He died in 1993.

Colene worked for many years at the Eugene Hotel Retirement Home, and was employed by PSC, Inc. at the time of her death. She also volunteered for several community youth organizations. Colene was an avid fisherperson, camper, cook, bowler, and Portland Trailblazer fan.

Her parents and husband, as well as her beloved dog, Scooter, precede her in death.

Survivors include her brother Bill “Noel” Garoutte, sisters Merrie Garoutte and Carol Poole, nieces Kate, Annie, and Crystal, and nephews Jep, Lung, Colen, Joshua, Joseph, and Noah.

Thursday’s potluck gathering is scheduled for 11am at the Park at Leaburg Lake, Area 4. Family members ask that in lieu of flowers, donations of time or money be made to Habitat for Humanity or Greenhill Humane Society.