Katherine Sigrid Johnson

Katherine Sigrid (Eck) Johnson, 83, passed away at Sunnyview Nursing Home on March 23, 2026. Born on October 15, 1942, in Bayonne, New Jersey, she was the first of three children born to the late Barney Eck and Hedwig (Batura) Eck. She was predeceased by her sister, Sigrid Grusz and her husband Peter, her brother, Christian Eck, and her stepmother, Rosemary Eck. Katherine graduated from Bayonne High School in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1960 and St Luke’s School of Nursing in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1963. A woman of quiet strength and independent spirit, Katherine dedicated her life to her family and her vocation as a nurse. In 1963, she married Edward “Tom” Johnson. Together they began their life in Cranston before moving to Warwick in 1968. Once their children were older, Katherine worked briefly at K-Mart in 1983 before returning to her career in healthcare. She was a familiar and comforting presence at the John Ferris Health Center in Warwick, Rhode Island until the facility closed. Upon its closure she worked in several doctors’ offices, and nursing homes until retiring. Katherine and Tom were ‘snow birds’ for a number of years before permanently retiring to the Cedar Cove Community in Sarasota, Florida, in 2016. While she was known as “Kitty” for much of her life, in her final decade she reclaimed her full name, Katherine, reflecting the independence she maintained until the very end. A woman of many interests, Katherine was a formidable card player, a puzzle enthusiast, and a regular in water aerobics and chair yoga classes. She was a member of the altar guild at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Warwick, Rhode Island for more than 35 years. Upon moving to Sarasota, she became a member of Unity Church, where she particularly enjoyed being involved in Soul Sisters. She enjoyed reading and spending time with her family. Following Tom’s death in 2018, Katherine remained in Florida until 2024, when she returned to Rhode Island to be near her family. She spent her final years at Tamarisk Assisted Living and Sunnyview Nursing Home. She was the loving mother of a son in N.Y.C., Diane Chaplin and her husband Jeffrey of Warwick, R.I.,and Susan of Seekonk, Mass. Affectionately known as Mimi, she is survived by two grandsons: Ryan Johnson of West Warwick, R.I., and Kyle Adams and his wife Lauren of North Attleboro, Mass.; and three great-grandsons: Jayden and Aaron Johnson, and Leo Adams. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Joan Young, of Sarasota, Fla. Per Katherine’s wishes, there will be no funeral or memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that tribute donations be made in her name to Tidewell Foundation of Sarasota, Florida (c/o Tidewell Hospice, 3550 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34239), and Fisher House Foundation in Rockville, Maryland (12300 Twinbrook Pkwy, Suite 410, Rockville, MD 20852).