Kathy Johnson

Kathy Lynn Bowman Johnson

October 7, 1955 - October 18, 2024

Kathy Lynn Bowman Johnson, 69, of Denton, Texas, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Friday, October 18, 2024 in her residence.

Kathy was born on Wednesday, October 7, 1955 in Ponca City, Oklahoma to James and Madolyn Bowman. She attended Don B. Alsup Elementary School in Denver, Colorado, and Oak Park Junior High in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She was a 1973 graduate from LaGrange High School also in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where she was a member of the LaGrange Gator Marching Band and played the clarinet. She was also a member of Tri-Hi-Y and Sigma Phi. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana for many years and was a member of The Carillon Ringers (English Handbells) and Youth and Adult Choir.

Kathy’s next stop on her educational journey was Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, which was our parents' alma mater along with 14 other members of the Bowman family. During her senior year at LaGrange, she decided that she did not want to go to McNeese State University in Lake Charles, but wanted to attend LA Tech. Our parents told her if she could get a scholarship she could go! So, she went to school the next day, asked her band director, and within a few minutes she had a scholarship to LA Tech in music! While there, she was a member of the marching band, the concert band, Sigma Alpha Iota Sorority, and served as Resident Hall Monitor at Dudley Hall. While working on her master’s degree, she was Hall Director of Harper Hall. Kathy graduated from LA Tech with a bachelor's degree in 1977 and her master's degree in 1979.

Kathy’s journey then took her to Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois. She spent 2 years there as a Residence Hall Manager where she supervised graduate and undergraduate staff members, administered daily operations in a hall of 450 staff and support services, served on several committees, and advised residence hall student government leaders.

Next on Kathy’s educational journey was Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. She went to work at Sam Houston in 1981 and held the position of Area Coordinator in University Housing from the summer of 1981 until moving into Student Life as Assistant Dean of Student Life in the fall of 1983. In the spring of 1994 she became Director of Alumni Relations. During her tenure at Sam Houston she the primary advisor for student organizations, the Parents’ Association, the Orange Keys and

Freshman Leaders groups. She was a member of the University Crisis Team and Coordinator for University Sexual Assault Crisis coordinators. She worked with volunteers on such events as the General Sam Houston Folk Festival which she was an executive board member, Parents Weekend, Walker County Fair Association, which she was a director and a life time member, and the Sam Houston Bicentennial Birthday Celebration. She also started, with the help from our parents, “Tailgating” at the BearKat’s football games.

For her extensive service, she was honored with the Sam Houston State University Staff Excellence Award, the Sam Houston State University Alumni Association Service Award, and a Certificate of Volunteer Service from Texas Governor Ann Richards.

In 1998, Kathy met the love of her life, Ken Johnson. They were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Michael Schultz. Michael was a student at SHSU when Kathy was in Student Life. When Michael graduated from SHSU, he went to work for Texas Department of Public Safety and was assigned to Ken’s area in West Texas and reported to Ken. Kathy and Ken married on June 5, 1999, in Huntsville. Kathy left Sam Houston to begin their lives together in Lamesa, Texas, where Ken lived and was the Sergeant over 5 counties with the Texas Department of Public Safety. 

Kathy, being Kathy, wanted to continue her educational journey. In 2000, she became a teacher at Brownfield High School in Brownfield, Texas. She helped to create the CAP program which was a student credit recovery program. The student qualifications were those that were behind in their academic credits, older than their grade, have medical problems, or might not fit in with regular students. Through this program, Kathy was able to help students gain their high school diploma as well as helping them build self-esteem, work ethic, and set goals.

Kathy’s final major stop on her educational journey was in 2006 when she went work at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, as a development officer for the College of Architecture and also served as development officer for the Honors College until 2009. After her first year with Texas Tech, Johnson was recognized with the Institutional Advancement Excellence Award from the Texas Tech University System.

Her next position with Texas Tech was Interim Associate Vice Chancellor, where she was responsible for development operations for the institution. She was also director of development for the Texas Tech University College of Architecture and oversaw all fundraising for that college. Kathy’s last position with Texas Tech was Associate Vice Chancellor which she held until her retirement in 2018. 

Active in her community, Kathy was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the international society for women educators, and Alpha Omega Study Club. Previously, she has served on the advisory board of the Texas Tech University chapter of Chi Omega, the largest women’s fraternal organization in the world

Upon her retirement, Kathy and Ken made the decision to move to Lufkin, Texas to be closer to our aging Mother. On July 28, 2018, the love of her life, passed away as the result of an aneurysm. She stayed in Lufkin and became involved in various organizations. She was on the board of the East Texas Alliance for Children. She was involved with Harold’s House and wrote grants for Second Blessings. For fun, she traveled extensively visiting family and friends around the country!

Kathy made the decision in 2023 to move to Denton, Texas to be closer to her 4 granddaughters. She moved in July of 2023. Little did she know nor did her family and friends, that Denton would be her last stop in her life journey!

Along Kathy’s life journey, she never lost her faith nor her relationship with God. 

Kathy is survived by her step-children, Kimberly Callison of Lubbock, Texas, and David A. Johnson, and his wife Amanda, of Plano, Texas; her grandchildren, Lily and Sadie Callison of Lubbock, Texas and Madeline and Emily Johnson of Plano, Texas; her sister, Anne Blume and her husband Steve, of Sulphur, Louisiana; her brother, Dr. James H. Bowman III, and his wife Rachel, of Chelsea, Alabama; sister-in-law Sandy Dougherty of Elkhart, Kansas; nieces Charlie Duffield, Adair Robulak and her husband Cameron, Olivia Childers and her husband Dalton, and Jodi Crippen, nephews Johnathan Blume and his wife Tristan, Devin Bowman and his wife Chloe, and Gerry Dougherty, and many great-nieces and great-nephews. 

Kathy is preceded in death by her husband, Ken Johnson, and her parents, James and Madolyn Bowman, of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

A memorial service and celebration of Kathy’s life will be at 4:00 PM on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Wade Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, Texas. 76013. The family and friends will gather at the funeral home on Saturday from 1:00PM until 3:30 PM before the start of the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Type 1 Research, P. O. Box 5029, Hagerstown, Maryland. 21741-5029

The family would like to express a special word of thanks to Dr. Peswani and Dr. Mike and to their nurses and staff at University of Texas Southwest (UTSW). Everyone was very supportive in many ways and showed an amazing amount of concern and caring. Also, to the Home Healthcare Team and 3 Oaks Hospice for being available when we needed you!

They would also like to say a very special thanks to Kathy’s neighbors. Even though she had not lived there very long she was treated as if she had lived there for many years with their love and support.

And last but by no means least, to Melea Wright Arlin, Kathy’s best friend from Louisiana Tech. She was always helping in anyway she could from driving, answering her phone at 2 or 3 in the morning, to making sure that Kathy had what she needed and was comfortable. We couldn’t have done it without her!