Shirley & Stout, Hasler-Stout, Stout & Son Funeral Homes

Patricia Wehrle Johnson

Patricia Wehrle Johnson, 80, passed away Saturday, July 17, 2010. Late of Tarpon Springs, FL, Patricia had relocated to Indiana in March 2010. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio April 14, 1930 to Robert & Francis Z. (Trowbridge) Wehrle, raised in Norwood, Ohio and married Robert Ray Johnson on February 14, 1949. Robert predeceased her in December 1996.

Patricia is survived by her children, F. Bradford Johnson (Trudy) of Fishers, IN, Tamara Johnson (Ken Shoup) of Kokomo, IN, and Roderic W. Johnson (Carolyn) of Granada Hills, CA, her grandchildren Ian A. Titus (Jenny Parker) of Westfield, IN, Adrienne Petty (Robert) of Pendleton, IN, Katherine Toney of Kokomo, and Richard Johnson of Granada Hills, and great-grandchildren Becca Petty and Izaak Petty of Pendleton. She also was especially close to her nieces Melissa Hosmer of Indianapolis and Nancy Eberhardt of Tulsa, OK. Preceding her in death were her sisters Marjory Greenwald and Dorothy Cataldo; Patricia’s brother Robert Wehrle, Jr. (Norma) of Houston, TX also survives.

Patricia attended the University of Cincinnati where she met her husband, Robert, earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Indiana University, and her law degree at the age of 50 from the Michigan State University College of Law.

A wife, mother of three, and frequent part-time student, Patricia also devoted her time, energy and talents to a wide variety of occupations during her life including retail sales, classroom teacher for the developmentally disabled at the Bona Vista School in Kokomo, newspaper reporter for the Kokomo Morning Times, and as an attorney in private practice in St. Clair Shores, Michigan for more than a decade. In the 1980's she was a candidate for a seat in the State of Michigan House of Representatives and a candidate for nomination to a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Michigan.

As a young woman, Patricia enjoyed swimming and recreational softball, and more recently resumed tap dancing with her group, “Steps In Time”, which performed at senior centers in the Tampa Bay area. Patricia was an avid reader, enjoyed travel (especially England and Italy), and had become the family historian and accomplished genealogist. As recent as April 2010, she traveled to Denver, CO to research records on the Orr family tree.

Patricia’s family extends its appreciation and gratitude to the physicians, nurses and staff at Howard Regional Health System for their care and support during Patricia’s final days.

A memorial service at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio, will be held Saturday, August 7, 2010 followed by a family celebration of Patricia’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made either to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008-0780 or the MSU College of Law, Office of Advancement, 400 Law College Building, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1300. Shirley & Stout Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.