Patricia Louise (Wakeland) Johnson was born on April 13, 1943, in Eureka, California, to Frank Merle Wakeland and Dorothy Louise (Steinhofer) Wakeland.  She was the middle of 3 daughters who grew up together in the McKinleyville, California, area of Humboldt County.  She met Dave Root Johnson and they married in Eureka, California, on May 29, 1971.  They had 2 daughters, and in 1977, they moved to Helena, Montana, where they would live the rest of their lives.  Pat was known from a young age to be a very talented pianist and would play both the piano and organ for many churches over the years.  She also loved being in the high school band, making music on her clarinet, flute, and sousaphone.  Her love of music was passed on to her children and then to her 7 grandchildren.  She chose to go into nursing to start her adult career, and that eventually led her to respiratory therapy.  She became the manager of Respiratory Therapy for years at St. Peter's Hospital. While there, she became a pioneer in the development of the Sleep Center.  When she retired from the manager position in 1992, she filled her time with volunteer jobs, such as with the US Forest Service.  The friends she made along her path through jobs, her pinochle group and church remained special to her throughout her life.  Her friends and family looked forward to the best banana bread, zucchini bread, and peanut brittle that she would lovingly make for them, and she enjoyed giving out those goodies all over town.  She was an avid pinochle player and did her best to go not only for the regular games but also for any tournament she could make it to.  In the past few years, she's poured much of her time and attention into the San Diego Web Cam that watches the ships come and go.  She got much joy from watching that, but more than that, she was blessed by the people who were on that chat on the YouTube channel, finding friendship there.

One of the greatest accomplishments that she treasured deeply was the missions trips she was a part of.  She traveled to Poland, Estonia, and Germany on her first trip, and the rest of her trips took her to Tanzania.  She fell in love with the country and people there and loved recounting her many stories of her times there.  She planted banana and mango trees on Ev. Enos Mabelele's land that still grow there today, worshipped and ate with the locals, and rejoiced with them when she saw how overjoyed they were to be able to read their Bibles with the reading glasses she fit them with.  Tanzania is the place she left her heart and she longed to return to the people there once again, speaking fondly of it to the end of her days.  She developed a deep, lasting friendship with Pastor Erick Oguta in Mwanza, Tanzania, as they worked together both in Tanzania and Montana and kept in contact over the many miles between their homes.

The family of Pat wish to express their thanks to St. Peter's Hospice, nurse Lisa Schmidt, Dr. Jessica Bailey, Pat Ladd and Martha Deaner, friends and other family who came to visit, and many others who added life to her final days.

A private interment has been planned, and a public memorial will be held in June 2025 to gather and honor her life.

Pat passed away with her daughters by her side into the arms of her Savior Jesus on December 14, 2024, in Helena, Montana, at the age of 81.  She is preceded in death by her parents Frank and Dorothy Wakeland, and her husband Dave R. Johnson.  She is survived by her daughters Deb Wakeland and Tamara S. Dresen; her grandchildren Eric Wakeland, Joey (Amber) Dresen, Ryan Dresen, Jacob Dresen, Katie Wakeland, Nicholas Dresen, and Zach Wakeland; her sisters Emily Bowman and Martha Deaner; numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.  Pat will be missed dearly, for she was dearly loved.  See you soon, Mom.