GREENVILLE, Pa.-- A memorial service for Thiel College donor and patron of the arts LaVonne (Corley) Johnson H’16 will be held in Pittsburgh at 2 p.m. January 13.
Johnson passed away in late November at 91 after a brief hospitalization. Following the memorial service at First Lutheran Church, 615 Grant St., Pittsburgh, the entombment will be in the First Lutheran Church columbarium.
“LaVonne’s enduring legacy will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her, and her contributions to education, the arts, and community service will continue to inspire generations to come,” Thiel College President Susan Traverso, Ph.D. said. “Her unwavering support for Thiel has left an indelible mark. Her generosity and passion for positive change have enriched the lives of our students, faculty and staff as well as the community and her memory will inspire us to greater heights for generations to come.”
Johnson and her husband, Glen H’88, established the renowned Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series at Thiel College in the fall of 2007. The music series honors their late daughter, Lori (Johnson) Wallace. Wallace’s husband, Miles J. Wallace, serves as a Trustee on the Thiel College Board of Trustees.
Glen, who was chairman emeritus of the Thiel College Board of Trustees, and LaVonne were honored in 2012 with the William A. Passavant Distinguished Service Award, which is given to those who provide “meaningful, longtime service to the Lutheran Church and Lutheran Education, including continuity of leadership, exemplary character and impact on shaping the Lutheran tradition.”
January 4 marks the 75th anniversary of the couple’s wedding. Together they founded and operated the Lake Lillian Crier newspaper. They later managed and expanded the Johnson Family Farm, a Minnesota “Century Farm” founded in 1862. The couple moved to Reston, Va. and later to Pittsburgh, where they enjoyed many years while Glen worked at Federated Securities Corp.
LaVonne was a congregant at First Lutheran Church of Pittsburgh and Marco Lutheran Church. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Con Spirito concerts are performed in the David Johnson Memorial Chapel, dedicated in 2006 and named in honor of the Johnsons’ late son. LaVonne was awarded an honorary doctorate during the College’s Commencement Exercises in 2016.
A memorial service will also be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 6 at Marco Lutheran Church in Florida.
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