HALLOWELL – Alice Crandall Johnson, surrounded by her family’s love, passed away shortly after sunrise on May 4, 2024, following a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

She was born in Camden, N.J. on Feb. 24, 1950, as the fourth child and only daughter of George S. Crandall and Dorothy Hayes Crandall.

She was predeceased by her parents, her stepfather, Richard LaFontaine; as well as her eldest brother, Lovell Crandall and her sister-in-law Sandra Galloway Crandall.

Alice grew up in Woodbury, N.J. summering each year in Hartland, Vt. A 1968 graduate from Woodbury High School, she attended the University of Vermont, graduating in 1972.

After seeing a production of the National Theater of the Deaf and falling in love with American Sign Language, she began working at the Austine School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Vermont. She went to the University of Arizona to pursue a masters in Rehabilitation. Hired by the State of Maine, Bureau of Rehabilitation as a Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf, Alice was promoted to Rehabilitation Consultant retiring from this position in December 2012. Alice worked with the Division of Deafness as well as fulfilling varied roles including interfacing with Federal partners, other state agencies, client advisory groups, and doing data analysis.

Alice met her future husband shortly after joining the Bureau of Rehabilitation. Alice Crandall and Joel Johnson were married in Hartland, Vt. on May 24, 1986. They lived in Augusta. Alice and Joel shared a love of movies and music. They were longtime patrons of Railroad Square Cinema. They went multiple times to the Montreal World Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival as well as to each of the first 26 editions of the Maine International Film Festival. They also loved theater and regularly watched productions of Theater at Monmouth and Maine State Music Theater.

Alice was a member of Old South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Hallowell. She sang in the choir and was active on multiple committees as well as representing Old South at Association and Maine Conference meetings. She served on the Resourcing the Local Church Committee for the Maine Conference. Alice loved singing and, in addition to church choir, sang with the Augusta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and its successor Kennebec Performing Arts Company.

Alice loved cooking and baking for others. She collected and experimented with recipes. Her family eagerly awaited her gifts of Christmas baked goods.

Alice had a spirit of generosity and kindness that endeared herself to others. Her sense of humor even in the face of progressive loss of function from Parkinson’s Disease was a special gift. Her smile, her laughter, and her wit helped her make friends.

Parkinson’s Disease brought her in contact with health care workers across MaineGeneral Medical Center, Amedisys Home Health, Augusta Center for Health and Rehabilitation, and Androscoggin Home Health. We appreciate all the ways they helped us along the way.

Alice is survived by her husband, Joel; her brother, Douglas and sister-in-law, Jane Crandall of Dedham, Mass., her brother, Roderick and sister-in-law, Susan Crandall of West Rupert, Vt., stepsister, Jo LaFontaine of Bristol, Vt., stepbrother, Jerry LaFontaine of New York City, N.Y., sister-in-law, Elayne J. Bean of Monmouth, brother-in-law, William Johnson of Plymouth, Mass.; nieces Dee Crandall Nawrocki of Lansdale, Pa., Heather Crandall Kilgariff of Neptune, N.J., Lisa Bausher Crandall of Warrington, Pa., Thunder Hunt of West Rupert, Vt., and Beth Johnson Catto of Lexington, Mass., nephews Kevin Crandall of Hatboro, Pa., Chris Crandall of Salem, Mass., and Matthew Johnson of Sherman Oaks, Calif.; and many great-nieces, great-nephews; and cousins.

A celebration of Alice’s life will be held at Old South Congregational Church in Hallowell on Friday, May 31 at 2 p.m. Interpreters for the deaf will be available for this service. The service will be a hybrid service that can also be accessed using the Zoom link on the Old South Congregational Church website (https://oldsouthhallowell.org/) labeled SUNDAY Worship Link. Closed captions are available through Zoom.

A reception will be held in the church vestry following the service.

Arrangements are in the care of the Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta where condolences and memories may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the funeral home website by visiting http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made in

Alice’s memory to the

Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease

(https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/)

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