Enthusiastic educator spent more than 40 years teaching students with reading difficulties
Kristin Ann Johnson passed away peacefully on the morning of December 27, 2021, at the McCLure Miller Respite House. She had just celebrated her 75th birthday. Kristin was born in Minneapolis in 1946, the daughter of Dr. John and Polly Johnson. She is survived by her loving husband, Edward P. Swierk, who was an inspiring caregiver for the past three years during her final challenge with bile duct cancer. She is also survived by her brother Steve Johnson and his wife, Joan, of Kady, Texas, and their two children of California. She was predeceased by her brother Bruce Johnson of Brazil. Kristin especially loved traveling there to visit her late brother’s family, which consisted of four nephews and nieces and seven grandnephews and grandnieces. Kristin was a lifelong seeker of truth who had a desire to expand her consciousness through mind-body awareness. As part of her spiritual journey, she practiced yoga at the Himalayan Institute in Pennsylvania. In addition to yoga, she pursued a variety of spiritual practices, such as meditation, diksha and life energy fundamentals. In addition to her spiritual path, Kristin was an enthusiastic explorer of learning strategies and how best to help students with reading difficulties. She received an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in sociology and a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. After attaining her degrees, Kristin spent 40-plus years teaching students with learning challenges at schools in Illinois and Maryland, eventually settling in Vermont as a reading specialist at Champlain Valley Union High School. With coauthor Polly Baird, Kristin created a series of K-8 textbooks entitled Mega Words. She also opened a small business in Winooski as an instructor of “Brain Gym” and applied kinesiology. One of her greatest loves was singing with the Noyana Singers, whose celestial voices comforted her during the last weeks of her life. Kristin also adored gardening and spent many happy summer days tenderly nurturing her lakehouse flowers. She also enjoyed traveling, playing the piano, kayaking, biking, dancing, skating and skiing. She especially loved viewing the sun setting on the lake from the deck of her home on the Georgia shore. Sincere thanks to all the wonderful staff from the Home Health & Hospice and the McClure Miller Respite House. Also to Dr. Paul Unger and his medical team at the Champlain Valley Hematology/Oncology, who provided exceptional care; the surgery and oncology departments at…
Enthusiastic educator spent more than 40 years teaching students with reading difficulties
Kristin Ann Johnson passed away peacefully on the morning of December 27, 2021, at the McCLure Miller Respite House. She had just celebrated her 75th birthday. Kristin was born in Minneapolis in 1946, the daughter of Dr. John and Polly Johnson. She is survived by her loving husband, Edward P. Swierk, who was an inspiring caregiver for the past three years during her final challenge with bile duct cancer. She is also survived by her brother Steve Johnson and his wife, Joan, of Kady, Texas, and their two children of California. She was predeceased by her brother Bruce Johnson of Brazil. Kristin especially loved traveling there to visit her late brother’s family, which consisted of four nephews and nieces and seven grandnephews and grandnieces. Kristin was a lifelong seeker of truth who had a desire to expand her consciousness through mind-body awareness. As part of her spiritual journey, she practiced yoga at the Himalayan Institute in Pennsylvania. In addition to yoga, she pursued a variety of spiritual practices, such as meditation, diksha and life energy fundamentals. In addition to her spiritual path, Kristin was an enthusiastic explorer of learning strategies and how best to help students with reading difficulties. She received an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in sociology and a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. After attaining her degrees, Kristin spent 40-plus years teaching students with learning challenges at schools in Illinois and Maryland, eventually settling in Vermont as a reading specialist at Champlain Valley Union High School. With coauthor Polly Baird, Kristin created a series of K-8 textbooks entitled Mega Words. She also opened a small business in Winooski as an instructor of “Brain Gym” and applied kinesiology. One of her greatest loves was singing with the Noyana Singers, whose celestial voices comforted her during the last weeks of her life. Kristin also adored gardening and spent many happy summer days tenderly nurturing her lakehouse flowers. She also enjoyed traveling, playing the piano, kayaking, biking, dancing, skating and skiing. She especially loved viewing the sun setting on the lake from the deck of her home on the Georgia shore. Sincere thanks to all the wonderful staff from the Home Health & Hospice and the McClure Miller Respite House. Also to Dr. Paul Unger and his medical team at the Champlain Valley Hematology/Oncology, who provided exceptional care; the surgery and oncology departments at…