LORA L (HANCHETT) JOHNSON Obituary (1940

Lora L. Johnson of Eureka, Montana, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on November 16, 2021. Lora was born to Helen Thomas Hanchett (Schroeder) and Ray Hanchett on September 24, 1940, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. She completed grades 1-6 in Klamath Falls and went to high school in Salinas and Cazadero, CA. She and her mother then moved to Townsend, Montana where she met and married Darrell W. Miller of Radersburg, MT. Lora and Darrell had three children. Dianne, Barbara, and Darrell. Darrell Sr was killed in a mining accident on September 30, 1961, and their son Darrell was born the following May. Lora and the children moved to Whitefish, MT in 1965. She met Tom Johnson at a Trego Dance and married him on February 11, 1967. They had two children, Craig and Kimberly. Lora was a 4-H leader (Foods & Beef) and was co-superintendent of the Beef Barn at the Lincoln Co. Fair with Tom for many years. Lora's work history was a jack of many trades; ranching with Tom (haying, milking, she got out of branding because she was busy cooking for the branding crew); janitor at Trego School; clerk at Trego Merc; clerk at Montana Five and Dime (Cellar Shop); bookkeeper for Pierry Manufacturing; and Office Manager for Gary Mintz DDS. She also served on the Lincoln County High School Board for 16 years where she attended many school law and business workshops. In 1990 she decided she wanted to get more proficient in accounting and went to Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, where she took all of the accounting and business classes they offered (mostly at night). She retired from the school board in 1992. A year later she applied for the opening of Business Manager/District Clerk of the Eureka Public Schools (due to the prodding of then Business manager Marilyn Mackenzie). She was hired and filled that position until retiring in 2009. She was an active member of the Eureka First Church of God and considers them her family too. She was Secretary for the Church for many years as well as Treasurer for the Montana Churches of God. Lora was preceded in death by her father, mother, husband Darrell Miller, her daughter Dianne and husband Tom Johnson. She is survived by her children, Barbara Seidl, Darrell Miller and his wife Brenda, Craig Johnson and his wife Jodi, and Kim Pluid; her grandchildren Jessica (Jeff) Patricelli, Devon (Jordyn) Miller, Travis Pluid, Beau and BreeAnna Johnson, Preston Stalder, Falon (Robert) Messer, Tristan Stalder; four great-grandchildren, Derrik and Lily Auna Patricelli, Dillon and Rylee Miller, Harper and Tucker Messer, Jetson and Beckham Soule; and her brother Marvin (Audrey) Hanchett. Funeral Services will be held on November 23 at 2:00 at the Eureka First Church of God followed by a dinner in the fellowship hall. Interment will be at the Eureka Cemetery next to her daughter Dianne and mother Helen. In lieu of flowers, family and friends may make memorial contributions to Eureka First Church of God at P.O Box 347, Eureka, MT 59917, or St. Jude's Children Hospital. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg Funeral Home in Eureka. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.