Leigh Elizabeth Johnson

Leigh Elizabeth Johnson was born in Fridley, Minnesota on October 5, 1983, to Cynthia Marie Bakken.  She went to school in multiple communities, but most of her school years were spent in the Fridley school district and graduated from the Cambridge/ Isanti high school on June 5, 2005. Leigh’s mother helped to ensure Leigh got the assistance she needed through the early years with time spent at Courage Center and additional support of tutors and teachers through her school years. Leigh did work at Goodwill as well as TJ Max for a time.  She volunteered at Innsbruck with the activity director for multiple years.  Leigh loved to work with children and seniors. 

Leigh loved Jesus.  She was active in her home church of Redeemer throughout her life.  She was baptized as a child and confirmed on October 24, 1999.  Her favorite bible verse was “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).” This remained her lifelong favorite verse.  Listening to worship music on KTIS was a constant in her life; she loved to sing along.  Sunday worship services, Christian concerts and voice lessons were ways to express her love of music, specifically contemporary Christian music. She loved serving when she could. One of her recent highlights was to go on a Redeemer mission trip to Tijuana to build a “Home of Hope” for a single mom with two children.

Leigh struggled with mental health throughout her life but was a shining example that mental health recovery is possible given the right community of support.  She learned to articulate her needs and advocate for herself.  She had a community of family, friends, and professionals that supported her and were touched by her beautiful and loving soul. As an adult, Leigh learned techniques and methods to better manage her emotional wellbeing and was very successful with mental health challenges.

Leigh was blessed to have many wonderful people in her life.  A proverb says “it takes a village to raise a child”; Leigh had an incredible village of people surrounding her.  Her mother was her biggest advocate.  Cyd married DJ when Leigh was nine and shortly after that Leigh was adopted by David Scott Johnson (DJ); this made Leigh’s family complete. Leigh loved to spend time with her grandparents.  Dunkin donuts and Dennys were often part of the day with Grandpa.  Leigh’s grandparents were also crucial in her life to establish her faith and her sense of being.  Aunts and uncles would play a huge role when both her parents and grandparents passed. When Leigh turned 18 years of age, her aunt Ruth became her guardian.  They spent many wonderful hours together attending concerts, plays, doing Special Olympics, manicures/pedicures, eating out, and traveling.  In the more recent years, her uncle Tim, aunt Corri, cousin Luke, dear friends and staff at the group home became her biggest support system. Leigh loved to play games and was a wiz at cribbage. You could often find Leigh on the phone calling her friends at least a couple times a day. She was gifted remembering concerns or details in past conversations with friends; Leigh would remember to ask about the concerns when next she spoke with them. Leigh’s village was large and strong; she flourished because of this love and support. 

Leigh passed peacefully into the arms of her Heavenly Father on May 21, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.  We are grateful family and friends who have been part of Leigh’s village.  Although Leigh was certainly not a child anymore, the village around her helped sustain both her faith in the Lord and her beautiful soul. She will be missed by all whose lives she’s touched.

Leigh is preceded in death by her Mother Cynthia Marie Johnson (Cyd), Father David Scott Johnson (DJ), Grandmother Carrie Elizabeth Bakken, Grandfather Paul Allen Bakken, Grandmother Gloria Knutson, Grandfather Clarence Jr. Knutson, Aunt Pamela Bakken, and Aunt Louise Bakken.

She is survived by her Aunt Ruth Louise Bakken, Uncle Timothy Paul Bakken (Corrine), and Cousin Luke Timothy Bakken and other dear family and friends.

Funeral Services for Leigh will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at Redeemer Lutheran Church located at 61 Mississippi Way, Fridley, Minnesota 55432.

Service will be held at 11:00 Am, with visitation 1 hour prior.