Johnson was born April 12, 1929, near Grimes, Oklahoma, to Duward Edward and
Dorothy Lea (Martin) Johnson. She passed away August 23, 2016, at Elk City,
Oklahoma, at the age of 87 years, 4 months and 11 days.
Lorita grew up in the Grimes community and attended school at Sunny Point
during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. She married Roland Jarnagin on
October 31, 1946, at the Buffalo Baptist Church. She attended Beauty School in
Oklahoma City and after receiving her license, they moved to Aztec, New Mexico,
in 1957. In the summer of 1962 they moved back to Oklahoma and lived in
Weatherford for a short time before moving to Deming, NM. They settled in
Gallup, NM, in 1964. She owned and operated the Plaza Beauty Salon until 1977
when she moved to Sweetwater, Oklahoma, to care for her mother. During that
time she worked for Dr. Parks and also John Parrish and enjoyed caring for her
cattle on the farm. Lorita moved to Elk City in 2008 to make her home. Lorita’s
passion was researching the genealogy of her family. She loved her family and
was proud of her children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Ann Witt; and a sister
and brother-in-law, Ruth and Roy Holland.
She is survived by her daughter, Jane Rippetoe and husband, J. B., of Carter,
OK; 5 grandchildren, Melissa Sais and husband, Jerry, of Los Lunas, NM, Amanda
Evey and husband, Chris, of Prattville, AL, Jeremy Witt of Albuquerque, NM,
Mechelle Berry and husband, Thomas, of Elk City, OK, and Jennifer Smith of
Mustang, OK; 7 great-grandchildren, Gavin and Tyler Berry, Isaac Evey, Alex,
Isabella and Dominic Sais, and Rheleigh Simon; a son-in-law, Chris Witt of Los
Lunas, NM; 2 nephews, Dean Holland of Sweetwater, OK, and Eddie Holland of Elk
City, OK; and a host of other relatives and friends.
August 28, 2016 at the Sayre Rose Chapel Funeral Home in Sayre with burial in
Dempsey Cemetery.