Yvonne Lorraine Holzkamp

Yvonne Lorraine Johnson, daughter of George Earl Johnson ( VP of A&P Tea Co) and Aldine Lorraine Peters was born in Altoona, Pa. on 12/15/1927. She graduated from Montclair High School in 1945 and from St. Lawrence University in 1949 with a BS in Psychology. At SLU she was social chair & soprano soloist of Tri Delta Sorority and sang with the Laurentian Singers. Junior year, she met Warren, a handsome 6'2 Beta Theta Pi on the varsity tennis team. During summer school, they "happened" to be taking a Marriage Class.....the rest is history. The year following graduation, on April 8, 1950, she married Warren and honeymooned in Bermuda. They had 2 children: Donna Lynn and Bruce Warren. For 30 years they lived in Elmira, NY. As primarily a housewife, she served as president of the local AAUW chapter, and later worked outside the home in retail at The Gorton Coy and as a social worker while Donna and Bruce were in high school. Yvonne was also active as a deacon and sang in the choir at North Presbyterian Church, Elmira NY. In 1988, Warren and Yvonne retired to Seven Lakes, NC for 21 years. At Seven Lakes, she participated in a CBS Bible Study, and joined Bethesda Presbyterian Church, in Aberdeen, NC where she sang in the choir, and served as a Deacon. She and Warren enjoyed being part of a drama group in the Seven Lakes community. She also joined the USTA team representing Seven Lakes Country Club.....Her doubles team won the Super Seniors tennis championship in the women's 70's category advancing on to the USTA finals in Atlanta. Yvonne and Warren celebrated 56 years of married life together, before Warren died on 2/23/2007. Afterwards, in 2009, Yvonne moved back to NJ to be near her daughter, Donna, husband, Bill, and family. She resided at Cedar Crest, Pompton Plains, NJ and joined West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, NJ. She loved water aerobics and made many new friends, while walking her beloved companion, Luke, her Boston Terrier. She and Donna were able to enjoy bus trips together with Cedar Crest into NYC for historic tours and Broadway shows, etc. But alas, she was getting restless again. Her last move took her in 2015 to Galloway Ridge, Pittsboro, NC to be close to her son, Bruce, who resides in Cary, NC. She remained there until her death. She leaves behind 2 granddaughters Michelle and Cheryl along with their husbands, Ralph and Chris and 4 great-grandchildren. Rev. Michelle Jean-Mary lives in Salt Lake City, UT with husband, Ralph, and two children: Olivier Escan (7 years old) and Sophie Amelia (9 years old). Cheryl and husband Chris Rogers live on the Upper West Side of NYC with their two sons, Colton ( 6 1/2 yrs) and Carter ( 4 yrs old)....known as the 4 C's!!!
Yvonne (Vonnie, to those close to her ) will always be remembered as a "Feisty lady" with a forever smile. At 5'2, she was a force to be reckoned with.....energetic and full of "vim and vigor." Will miss you, MOM!!! You put in a good fight and lived a long life!!!