Tanja Johnson's Obituary
Tanja Johnson
1966 – 2026
Tanja Johnson, 60, of Salt Lake City, Utah, passed away of natural causes on July 13, 2026. She leaves behind a family who loved her and a lifetime of stories that only she could have lived.
Born March 19, 1966, to Edda Harrison and Howard Johnson. Tanja had a presence you couldn't miss and wouldn't forget. She met the world with humor, keeping things light even when life wasn't, and she had a way of making the people around her laugh whether they'd known her for decades or five minutes. In her thirties she was a fixture of the local biker scene, riding motorcycles and holding her own in rooms where plenty of people couldn't. She loved her garden and filled her home with plants and knick-knacks, each one with a story or a reason she'd kept it.
Above all, she made sure her kids saw the world beyond their front door. She prioritized family vacations and days in the mountains, and those trips — the ones she made happen no matter what — are among the memories her children hold closest.
Tanja's life was not an easy one. She battled mental illness and addiction, and she fought those battles largely without the support she needed and deserved. Her family and friends remember her not for her struggles, but for the strength it took to keep going, and for the love and lightness she offered the world in spite of everything working against her. She deserved better from the systems meant to help her. She gave better than she got.
She is survived by her daughters, Natalie McElroy and Chelsea Hillyard; her sons, Steven and Josh Tripple; her sisters, Natasha Mace and Michelle Mace; and her brothers, Mikel Johnson, Neil Johnson, John Johnson, Richard Mace, and Shaun Mace.
Please join us in celebrating her life on August 16th at 5:00 pm at 465 East Parkside Drive, Murray, UT.
What’s your fondest memory of Tanja?
What’s a lesson you learned from Tanja?
Share a story where Tanja's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Tanja you’ll never forget.
How did Tanja make you smile?