Melody Jean Smith Johnson

August 20, 1947 - December 9, 2019

Melody Jean Smith Johnson passed away on December 9, 2019 in her home in Saratoga Springs, Utah after a long battle with cancer. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 20, 1947 to Daniel Miley Smith and Ruth Bernice Smith. She lived much of her life in Salt Lake City, but spent her teenage years in Reno, Nevada. A lover of education, Melody spent most of her life learning and teaching. She received a degree in History and the Social Sciences from Brigham Young University, where she met and married the father of her children, Christopher C. Johnson. While raising young children, she attended the University of Utah, where she received a Master’s in Theatre and Speech. She also has a multitude of college hours in the visual arts. She got her teaching degree when she was in her forties and started teaching at Lehi High School. During her 23 years at LHS, she taught theatre, history, peer leadership, debate and visual arts. She also taught in the community, at church, in her home and anywhere people would listen and learn. Obviously Melody loved teaching, but she loved her students even more. After retiring from teaching High School, she was able to spend more time creating art. She has won many awards for her visual art, including an Award of Merit in the Ninth International Art Competition in 2012, Best of Show in the Utah Women Artists Exhibition in 2018 and Best in Show at The Foundry Art Center in 2014 (that award included a solo show in 2016). She was best known for her cut paper collages which she called “painting with paper.” Her pieces have been and are displayed in many galleries, exhibitions, government buildings and homes. Melody is survived by her sister: Judith Baird, three children: Larisa Anne Hobson, Joshua Ammon Johnson and Bethany Rose Janovec and her eight grandchildren: Karalee, Logan, Aaron and Sasha Hobson, Samuel and Abigail Johnson, and Talia and Shepard Janovec. Mother, friend, mentor, teacher, puppeteer, actress, singer, writer, director, innovator, artist, faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and more, Melody will be remembered for so much and missed by so many. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 10:30 AM in the chapel located at 587 South Saratoga Road, Saratoga Springs, UT 84043. A casual open house celebrating Melody’s life will also be held that evening from 6-8 in the clubhouse located at 625 Saratoga DR (use the Parkway Blvd entrance off of Redwood RD or contact a member of the family for the gate code on Saratoga Dr). Melody will be laid to rest in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery.