LaVonne “Vonnie” Helen Johnson, spouse of the late Covenant minister Rev. Charles Johnson, passed away on May 22, 2026, in Glenview, Illinois. She was 83.
LaVonne was born July 24, 1942, in Starbuck, Minnesota, and grew up in Lowry, Minnesota, where she graduated from high school. She went on to attend Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. During a yearlong program called Covenant Caravan—an eight-person ministry team that traveled the country providing churches with Christian education, music ministry, and worship support—LaVonne met her husband, Charles “Pastor Chuck” Johnson.
Vonnie and Chuck married on August 25, 1965. They went on to serve seven Covenant churches: Baudette (Minnesota) Covenant Church; Ravenswood Covenant Church in Chicago, Illinois; Bethany Covenant Church in Stillwater, Minnesota; Vista Covenant Church in New Richland, Minnesota; Living Waters/First Covenant Church in Worthington, Minnesota; First Covenant Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa; and Libertyville Covenant Church in Libertyville, Illinois. Among her many contributions to their shared ministry, Vonnie founded a preschool as part of the work of First Covenant Church in Worthington, where she and Chuck lovingly provided early childhood education to many children over the years. She also served as author and director of children’s Christmas programs, musicals, and vacation Bible school curricula throughout their ministry. Outside of church life, she worked as a dental assistant and office manager for a dental practice in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Vonnie was known for her gifts of hospitality, creativity, music, baking, and organization—and for the joy of a good story shared around a full table. Following retirement, she and Chuck thrived at Saddlebrook Farms in Grayslake, Illinois, where they enjoyed time with neighbors, children, grandchildren, and fellow members of Libertyville Covenant Church. After Chuck’s death in 2016, Vonnie moved to Covenant Living of Northbrook, where she planted vegetable and flower gardens, joined the bell choir, learned to staff the AV sound board, enthusiastically took up painting, gave holiday tours of her collections of hundreds of snowmen and angels, hosted fireside gatherings for fellow residents of the Maple building, and served as a welcoming host for new residents. The peonies and daylilies she planted there return each spring outside her former apartment.
LaVonne was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charles. She is survived by her children, Renee Johnson Borkowski (Mike) and Bret Johnson (Susan), and six grandchildren, John and Katy Borkowski, and Mickiah, Caleb, Ephraim, and Josiah Johnson.
A celebration of life was held June 12 at Covenant Living of Northbrook, Illinois. Her ashes will be interred with her husband at the columbarium at Libertyville Covenant Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Vonnie’s name may be made to the Benevolent Care Fund at Covenant Living of Northbrook, 2625 Techny Road, Northbrook, IL 60062.
Peace be to her memory.
