Meridel Houston Johnson

September 21, 1936 - November 24, 2020

Meridel, 84, of Visalia, California, passed away in Visalia. She was the daughter of Dr Robert and Elbeth Houston in Los Angeles, the only girl of four children.

Meridel (Del) married James (Tim) Johnson on December 1, 1956 in South Pasadena. Del and Tim are survived by their four children, Christina Clifton; James (Tim) Johnson; David Johnson; Robin Dickinson; eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Del is also survived by her brother Michael Houston (SPHS '53) of Los Angeles. Del and Tim moved from the LA area with their young family to Tulare County in 1963.

After obtaining an AA degree from Pasadena City College, Del began her career with Tulare County Data Processing Department. Del rose through the ranks of the department and retired after 35 years as a Systems & Programming Manager. In the infancy of computer programing, Del assisted the county in writing the voter registration and jury selection programs for Tulare County residents among other programs that the county still runs today.

Del enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. One of Del's favorite things to do was to attend the theater. She loved everything from musicals, drama, to Shakespeare. Del loved to attend the Visalia Ice House and was a season ticket holder of the Visalia Symphony. Del was also a member of the Oregon Shakespearian Festival where she traveled with family and friends to Ashland, Oregon to enjoy many of the classic productions of Shakespeare. Del loved to reminisce of when she was a young girl and her father would take her on the train from Pasadena to the LA Opera House to watch whatever opera was playing. Del was a co-founder of the Visalia Mixed Nuts RV group and spent many years as the secretary. In her retirement, Del loved to travel with her husband in the RV visiting friends and family throughout the United States and Canada. Del also loved to travel abroad and visited such places as England, Scotland, Ireland, Belize, and St Thomas. Del was an accomplished knitter, avid reader and loved completing Sudoku puzzles. Del always had a book, a knitting project and/or a puzzle wherever she went. Later in life, Del's favorite possession was her red, '65 Plymouth convertible that she would drive every year in the Visalia St Paddy's Day parade. She was very proud of her little red car!

Del will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Visalia Times-Delta & Tulare Advance-Register, December 1, 2020

**Meridel was predeceased by two brothers, John Houston '56 and David Houston '57