Barbara Rudel Johnson, age 98, of Commack, NY passed peacefully on April 22, 2025, surrounded by family at the Doylestown, PA home of her son. 

Born in Brooklyn, NY, on June 18, 1926, Barbara grew up in Floral Park, NY. Her wit, imagination, and passion for life were evident from an early age. She loved to recount how she spun tales of tap dancing on a radio talent show, or how she charmed her way into a Frank Sinatra concert on her 16th birthday. Her sense of humor was paralleled by a love of learning. She earned a degree in chemistry from the College of St. Elizabeth in 1947, and later worked in patent research at Texaco, a job she loved.

In 1954, she married Ted Johnson, and the following year, they welcomed the first of four children. In 1957, they found a wonderful new community of young families on Violet Lane in Commack, where the neighborhood kids’ innocent mischief lived on in epic tales, and friendships lasted a lifetime. 

Once the kids were in school, she went back to school herself, earning a master’s in education at C.W. Post and taking on another treasured role: guiding the Title I program at the Connetquot School District. She was a natural teacher and understood how to make kids want to learn – even inspiring more accurate arithmetic through gametime scorekeeping. Her engaging and thoughtful spirit carried over into the home as well. She was a fantastic mother, loving, supportive, and encouraging her children to pursue the things that interested them most. 

Even in the face of hardship, Barbara persevered and uplifted those around her. After losing her son Kevin to Hodgkins Disease in 1983, and after Ted suffered a stroke soon after, she kept going. She and Ted traveled—to Europe, Egypt, Australia, even Fiji. Barbara delighted in being a grandmother and always knew what each was doing, asking questions, sending cards and clippings, sharing books, applauding accomplishments, and offering unwavering support. This Easter, her whole family gathered to celebrate with her, a joyous and love-filled day all will cherish. 

She leaves a large and close-knit blended family that is grateful for her long life and loving spirit. She is survived by her devoted children Nancy, Doug and his wife Peggy, and Jim and his wife Eve. She will be dearly missed by her grandchildren—Kevin (Laurie), Samantha (Addison), Shea, Bethany, Erika, Lauren (Will), Christian (Alix), Philip (Kimberly), Austin (Emily), Olivia (Robbie), and Cameron (Liv)—and great-grandchildren Kylie, Benjamin, and Connor. She was predeceased by her husband Ted, her son Kevin, and her brother Ted Rudel.

Barbara was fiercely smart, wryly funny, and always compassionate. She helped all find beauty in the everyday and never passed up the opportunity to inspire laughter, even if it meant admitting to life’s bloopers (like when she forgot to peel the shrimp before breading them for dinner). She loved sitting around the dinner table with family and talking for hours, getting silly with her grandchildren, playing bridge with friends, getting lost in a good book, having a nice glass of rosé, and, always, listening to Frank Sinatra. 

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum and Doylestown Hospice  (under “Designation” select, “Other,” then specify Hospice).