BELMONT, N.C. – Jeanne Edith Emerson Johnson, 88, passed away peacefully Monday, July 4, 2011, at Carillon Assisted Living.Born in Merrimack County, she was the daughter of the late Lester Straw and Estelle Finley Emerson and also wife of the late John Lars Johnson. Jeanne's family moved to New Rochelle, N.Y., where she graduated from New Rochelle High School. She continued her studies in commercial art, earning her a position with Terrytoons, where she helped to create cartoons for television series such as Mighty Mouse. She met and later married John L. Johnson while in New Rochelle, N.Y., and they raised two children before moving to Gastonia in 1973. She was the founder of the Greater Gaston Chapter of the Sweet Adelines, member of the Gaston County Art Guild and a founding member and volunteer of Stowe Botanical Gardens.She is survived by her daughter, Carol Johnson Stowe and fiancé, Richard Rankin, of Belmont; son, David Kenneth and daughter-in-law, Cindy Paseur Johnson, of Mt. Holly; sister, Elizabeth Terrell of Concord; grandchildren, William Bradley Stowe and wife, Maria Halasan Stowe, Rachel Elizabeth Stowe, Rebecca Megan Stowe and Kimberly Laurel Johnson; sisters-in-law, Joyce and Priscilla Emerson; and numerous nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by two brothers, Wallace Finley Emerson and Lester Straw Emerson; sister, Grace Emerson Hammond; and son-in-law, Keith Timothy Stowe.A memorial service will be held Thursday, July 7 at 7 p.m. in the Bumgardner Chapel of McLean Funeral Directors, Belmont.The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.Inturnment will be private at Gaston Memorial Park.Memorial donations may be made to ;(function() { var adKeyValue = 't='; adKeyValue+= escape('clio=ALZ'); adKeyValue += escape('&cobrand=concordmonitor'); adKeyValue += escape('&linktext=Alzheimer\'s Association'); adKeyValue += escape('&linkurl=https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5080&5080.donation=form1&set.TributeType=MEMORIAL&set.custom.honoree_name=Jeanne Johnson&set.TributeMessage=A+gift+has+been+made+in+remembrance+of+Jeanne Johnson'); adKeyValue += escape('&fn=Jeanne'); adKeyValue += escape('&ln=Johnson'); var adClkUrl = 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/423686928/prod/obit-aff/obit-standard/clio-inline-1&' + adKeyValue + '&sz=1x1&c=471192402'; var adImpUrl = 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/423686928/prod/obit-aff/obit-standard/clio-inline-1&' + adKeyValue + '&sz=1x1&c=471192402'; document.write("<a href='" + adClkUrl + "' target=_blank>Alzheimer\'s Association<" + 'img' + " src='" + adImpUrl + "' style='width=1px; height=1px; display:inline;' /></a>"); }());, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C., 20090-6011.Share condolences with the family by logging on to mcleanfuneral.com.McLean Funeral Directors of Belmont is caring for the family.