Joselyn Dolores Johnson

July 29, 1937 ~ June 18, 2020

Joselyn Dolores Bayles Johnson, was born on July 29, 1937 in Provo, UT to Scott Lyman “Bogh” and Dolores Gravelle Bayles. She returned to her Heavenly Father on June 18, 2020 in Blanding surrounded by her beloved husband and sons.

She is survived by her husband, Ferd E Johnson; three sons, Wayne and Jennifer, Chet and Tracy, Kade and Mandy; and seven grandsons whom she loved very much: Justin, Tanner, Cason, Bodey, Jakobey, Jace, and Benny the Jett.

Jo lived most of her life in Blanding where she graduated from San Juan High School in 1955. Jo never wanted to be anywhere else and when she was, she was homesick for Blanding.

She married Ferd in Las Vegas, NV on June 13, 1964 and was sealed in the Manti temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 9, 1968.

She is preceded in death by her father, mother, and three brothers: Dwayne, Scott, and Dwight. She is survived by siblings Peggy Palmer, Dorothy Black, Joel Bayles, Mona Kay Bayles, and Georgia Black.

Jo loved to help her dad with his cattle on her horse, Amigo. When she was a teenager, she broke her arm while helping him in Blue Creek. She had to spend the night, then ride her horse to Allen Canyon to the truck, and go into town to get medical help. Jo was tough.

She was famous for her fabulous rolls and bread, her devotion to her sons and grandsons, her love of hummingbirds, her pride in being a Bayles and a Chippewa, and her faith in her church.

She served in many church callings such as Relief Society president, Cub Scout leader, Primary and Young Women’s teacher and a genealogy specialist. Jo and her mother spent extensive time researching their Chippewa heritage.

Whatever her boys were involved in, she was there cheering them on. Her sons and nephews would always stop by after school and she would have something for them to eat. Often it would be her famous hot biscuits.

Jo was also famous for her love of cars. She worked at several dealerships and ordered herself a blue ’66 Chevelle Super Sport straight from the factory. She was very proud to show it off and later she always wanted cars with dual exhausts.

Jo was able to accomplish a life-long dream by building a cabin on her Devil’s Canyon property. She used plans that her mom had saved for years and had her sons (mostly Kade) build a place where her family could gather and spend quality time with each other.

Jo was always happiest when she was with her family at the cabin playing games and laughing or at home enjoying a Sunday breakfast of biscuits and gravy.

Jo will be remembered for being a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Her “boys” were in turn devoted to her, and each of them would stop by at least once every day to check on her.

These visits were always filled with laughter and sound advice as Jo had a great sense of humor and was the person they looked to for guidance.