Celeste Valot Johnson

Celeste Marie Valot Johnson, of Beaumont, died Tuesday, September 11, 2018, in Beaumont. She was born February 15, 1925, the youngest of four children to Elsie P. Wentzel and Edward C. Valot, in Galveston. Celeste attended school in Galveston, Texas. She graduated from Ball High School in 1943.

During the WWII, when the men went to service, women were recruited to fills jobs left open by the men. Celeste took a drafting course from Texas A&M. After the completion of the course, she went to work for the Corp of Engineers. In 1948, Celeste married John W. Johnson. They had two children, Paul and Ellen. In 1958, she became a single mom, when the marriage ended. Celeste worked as a draftsman in land surveying drafting of Kirby Lumber Corporation in Silsbee from 1957 to 1980. She continued in the drafting field until 1995.

Celeste has been active in the Episcopal Church all her life. As a girl, she attended Trinity Episcopal Church in Galveston. She was active in the youth program and went to the original Camp Allen in Baytown, Texas.

In 1953, Celeste became a charter member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Silsbee, Texas. While there, she was on the vestry, alter guild, and other committees. In 1983, Celeste moved to Beaumont and joined St. Mark’s. Here she was active in Cursillo, Episcopal Church Women, Chili Supper, Gift Shop, Sunday School and many other services.

Celeste loved music, dancing, photography, needlework and crafts. Many of her friends have received needlework gifts from her and in later years, ceramic gifts that she had made. Celeste volunteered over twenty-two years at Baptist Hospital and 3,900 hours of service with patient information, menus and more recently in Volunteer Services office. She was also an inductee into the “Shinning in their 90’s” volunteers. Community Theater was one of Celeste’s loves. She had acting roles in many plays, worked on stage crews, and helped with refreshments.  

Survivors include her daughter, Ellen Panchot; son, Paul Johnson and his wife, Tommye; granddaughter, Marie Panchot; grandsons, Adam Johnson and his wife, Jodi; and Seth Johnson and his wife, Erika; great-granddaughter, Rose Johnson, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, and siblings, Edward, Verda, and Eugene.

A memorial service for Ms. Johnson will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 20, 2018, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 680 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, with a reception to follow in the Payne Hall. A family committal was held at Broussard’s Crematorium, Beaumont.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark’s “Friday Morning Ministry”, 680 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77701; Baptist Hospital Chaplains, P.O. Box 1591, Beaumont, Texas 77704; Nutrition & Service for Seniors, 4590 Concord Road, Beaumont, Texas 77703; or Cursillo in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, attention: Corlie Jackson, 3209 Tern Drive, Galveston, Texas 77551.