September 26, 1949 – June 9, 2025
Sharon Ann “Sandy” Johnson, passed away at home June 9, 2025. Born on September 26, 1949 in Sycamore, Illinois to Merle and Mary Johnson, Sandy is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bill Feyerherm; her daughters Jennifer (Kevin Nurmi) and Jill (Matthew James Klump); her sister June Bocklund of Cortland, Illinois; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister: Charles, Edward and Geraldine Hunt.
Guided by a sense of fairness, she dedicated herself to improving the places she called home and would always stand up for what she knew was right. As a student of psychology, she turned knowledge into action, working to support children and families. Raised in a small town, she followed her father’s example that if something needs doing, you step up and do it. Her love of sailing, camping, and stargazing all reflected a lifelong connection to the natural world which brought her joy and a sense of wonder.
Sandy grew up in Waterman, Illinois where she was valedictorian of her high school class. She attended Northern Illinois University where she met Bill. A moonlight stroll around the campus lagoon led them to discover that they belonged together, hence the name of one of their boats: “Moonstruck”. They married on March 7, 1970, and soon Bill’s graduate studies took them to Albany where their two daughters were born.
Bill’s teaching job brought them to Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin in 1975, where Sandy earned a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For the next decade, she worked for Miller Brewing Company managing marketing research. At one point, she was the highest-ranking woman at Miller. Milwaukee was also where they discovered sailboat racing, taught their daughters how to sail, and bought their first boat, which Jill christened “Herman”.
In 1990, the family moved to Portland, Oregon, where Sandy returned to school at Portland State University, earning both her Master’s degree and PhD in Psychology. She joined the Multnomah County Health Department to conduct research on domestic violence issues, rose to become the Director of Health Assessment and Evaluation, and created a unit devoted to health and social justice. By 2008, Sandy was managing multiple units in the health department and was told that she had to lay off several staff members. She responded by taking early retirement so that they could use her salary savings to continue the employment of at least two staff members. She began her retirement by heading to the Oregon coast and purchasing her sailboat, “Imagine”, which remains docked in Friday Harbor.
In 2006, Sandy and Bill purchased a home in Friday Harbor, Washington and became part-time residents. Moving full time to Friday Harbor in 2008, Sandy was once again in a small town looking for ways to serve her new community. She joined the Master Gardeners, volunteered at the Whale Museum and the library, served on the board of St. David’s Day School, and joined the San Juan Island Yacht Club as well as several other groups. Her most cherished activities involved the San Juan Community Theatre. She served as Board President and later as President of CATS, a support group for the Theatre. She was immensely proud of being able to serve the Theatre.
Her burial will be at Johnson Grove Cemetery in Waterman, Illinois. The family welcomes donations to the San Juan Community Theatre in memory of Sandy. A Celebration of Life is planned for mid-summer at the San Juan Island Yacht Club and be announced at her memorial site at Evans, so please bookmark www.evanschapel.com/obituary/sandy-johnson to check for updates of her Celebration of Life and to sign her online guest-register.
