Jillian Johnson will always be
remembered by Unit 1012. As she was born on March 4, 1982, we will remember her
on her birthday and treasure the precious memories of her life on earth.
"So long as we live, they too shall live and love for they are a part of us as we remember them."- Gates of Prayer
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Jillian Johnson
(March 4, 1982 to July 23, 2015)
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INTERNET
SOURCE: http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/1141319/Johnson-Jillian.php
Jillian Johnson Obituary
Date of Birth:
Thursday,
March 4th, 1982
Date of Death:
Thursday,
July 23rd, 2015
Funeral Home:
1011
Bertrand Drive
LAFAYETTE,
Louisana, UNITED STATES
70506
Obituary:
A Celebration of Life will be held on
Monday, July 27, 2015 at 12:30pm in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for
Jillian Johnson, 33. Reverend John Wamsley will conduct the Services.
Jillian Johnson, who
made a name for herself as one of South Louisiana’s most gifted and beloved
creative professionals, and who was at the forefront of the region’s cultural
and artistic renaissance, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2015. She leaves
behind a legacy of beautiful artwork and design, brilliant and meaningful
entrepreneurship, civic advocacy, and timeless song. For all of those who knew
and loved her, she was the model of a life well lived.
Jillian was born in
Lafayette, Louisiana, with deep family roots in Cajun Country. She lived in
Nashville, TN, between 1988 and 2002, when she moved back to attend the
University of Louisiana at Lafayette, from which she graduated with a
Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts in Ceramics.
Even before graduating
college, she was fearlessly independent and business-minded, and her
involvement in the Louisiana music scene began when she took over as a manager
and booking agent for the Cajun swing outfit, The Red Stick Ramblers.
Soon, she was managing
other local bands, in addition to designing websites, compact discs, and
posters, for a rapidly growing list of grateful clients. She quickly became the
most sought after resource for a wide range of people and businesses looking to
convey their message to the public in a way that was artistic, beautiful, and
meaningful. In the process, she became instrumental in shaping and driving the
sensibility and voice of an entire generation of creative individuals in the
region.
In addition to her
celebrated work in music and art and business, she was a prominent civic
advocate, and she played seminal roles in developing the neighborhood
improvement group, TownFolk, as well as the Acadiana Food Circle.
Above all, she was a beloved
wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend. She and her husband Jason met in
2009 when he became her neighbor. From that moment, they were inseparable, and
they married in 2013. Together, they started a new life and a new business, Red
Arrow Workshop. With her beloved brother Bram and business partner Tom Brown,
she founded Parish Ink, focusing on items that reflected the region’s cultural
pride and identity. She loved her step-daughter Paxton deeply. She also adored
her two poodles, Knives and Vega, who became the popular stars of her Instagram
posts.
Jillian was a beacon of
integrity, creativity, diligence, and love to all who knew her. She had a
wicked sense of humor mixed with a warm, graceful, and regal presence. She was
loved by all, and she will not soon be forgotten.
Jillian is survived by her husband,
Jason Maloy Brown; her step-daughter, Paxton Azella Myles-Brown; her parents,
Jackie and Sally Johnson; her brother, Bram Johnson; her paternal grandmother,
Mary Ruby Benoit; and her maternal grandfather, Eldon Lyle Adams. She was
preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, William Stanley Johnson, Jr. and
her maternal grandmother, Argylee Adele Boone.
The family request the visiting hours
be observed on Sunday, July 26, 2015 from 10:00am until 6:00pm. Visitation will
continue on Monday, July 27, 2015 from 9:00am until time of service.
In lieu of flowers contributions can
be made to the Lafayette Central Park, Inc., 2901 Johnston Street, Suite 300,
Lafayette, LA 70503, Attn: Johnson Memorial or online at
http://cfacadiana.org/contribute. Select Lafayette Central Park, Inc.- General
Fund and indicate that the gift is in memoriam of Jillian Johnson.
Personal condolences may be sent to
the Johnson family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand
Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.
INTERNET
SOURCE: http://heavy.com/news/2015/07/jillian-johnson-dead-grand-16-shooting-victim-funeral-facebook-page-tribute-bio-age/
Jillian Johnson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Published
10:29 am EDT, July 24, 2015 Updated 1:34 pm EDT, January 27, 2016 9
Comments By Laura Amato
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Jillian Johnson
(March 4, 1982 to July 23, 2015)
[PHOTO SOURCE: (Facebook)]
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Police have identified a second victim
in John Russell Houser’s shooting spree at the Grand 16 theater as 33-year-old Jillian Johnson. Houser, who authorities said was
living in a hotel outside of Lafayette Louisiana, opened fire during a showing
of Trainwreck on
Thursday night. Houser took his own life at the scene, while a second victim,
21-year-old Mayci Breaux was also killed. Johnson died later at a local hospital.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Johnson Had Been Married Since 2013
Jillian Johnson and Jason Brown
[PHOTO SOURCE: (Facebook)]
Jillian Johnson and Jason Brown
[PHOTO SOURCE: (Facebook)]
According to her Facebook
page, Johnson and Jason Brown had been married since April 9, 2013. Brown,
a fellow Louisiana native, studied journalism at the University of Louisiana
Lafayette, graduating in 2005. He had previously worked as the cops and courts reporter for The Advocate from
2008 to 2012.
She posted this photo to her page
after three months of marriage:
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Three months of marriage down. The rest of
our lives to go. Let's do this thing!
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After news broke that Johnson had been
identified as one of the victims of the shooting, her Facebook page became a
memorial of sorts as posts and messages came pouring in to honor her memory.
2. She & Her Husband Owned Red Arrow Workshop
(Facebook)
The couple opened their first store
in August 2012, in Lafayette’s River Ranch area. It features a
collection of “hip, well-designed items” along with goods the pair has made
themselves and items made in Louisiana. According to the website, the store
features products that “reflect our ongoing commitment to sustainable living
and beautiful design.”
Last fall, Jason and Jillian decided to
expand their retail endeavors to a second store, opening a store on Magazine
Street in New Orleans, featuring a full selection of Red Arrow goods.
3. Johnson Described Herself as a
‘Sentimental Hoarder & Uptight Minimalist’
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(Facebook)
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According to her “important
things to know page” on her store’s website, Johnson was a little bit
eccentric but in a way that also made her more than just a little bit
endearing.
In addition to her
self-described hoarder tendencies, Johnson also wrote that she is obsessed with
Fats Waller, Tina Turner and John Steinbeck and that she’s not a big fan of ice
cream. Her friends and family, flooding her Facebook wall on Friday morning
with memories and sentiments, called Johnson “a beautiful, confident, statuesque woman”
as well as an “extremely talented artist and musician.”
4. Johnson Also Worked on the
Louisiana Flea Market Circuit
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(Facebook) |
Although she and Brown operated two
standalone stores, they also worked regularly on the flea market circuit
throughout Louisiana.
In addition to Red Arrow, Johnson
helped create Parish
Ink, which designed and sold t-shirts as well as operating her own Etsy
shop that could ship goods from both creative endeavors across the country. She
also worked regularly with her older
brother Bram, who helped design the apparel that Parish Ink produced and
sold.
5. She Graduated from a
Nashville, Tennessee High School
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(Facebook)
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Although Johnson had lived in
Lafayette for years and built a life for herself there, she had also
spent time in Nashville, Tennessee. She graduated from Hillwood High School in 2000 and earned her B.F.A in fine
arts from the Univeristy of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Johnson was incredibly proud of her
Louisiana roots and frequently used the design of the state in her own work. As
social media posts began to pour in honoring Johnson, this “Louisiana
Power” banner was frequently mentioned. In fact, it’s the same banner and
design that can be seen in the background of Johnson and Brown’s wedding photos
as well.
Lafayette is about 60 miles west of
Baton Rouge. Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal called the shooting “an awful night for
Lafayette, this is an awful night for Louisiana, this is an awful night for the
United States. But we will get through this.”
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