Johnnie Louise Titus

Johnnie Louise Titus, 74, of Prairie City and formerly of La Grande, died May 23 in Bend. A graveside service took place May 26 at Prairie City Cemetery.

Johnnie was born March 23, 1935, to Port and Ivy Hill in Nashoba County, Okla. In Clackamas, at the age of 16, Johnnie married Robert Titus Sept. 4, 1951. Bob and Johnnie were married for 57 years and raised nine children.

Johnnie's dream was to become a nurse. She raised her family and was 44 years old before she went back to school to make her dream come true.

Johnnie graduated with high honors from Eastern Oregon University in 1983 and went to work for Dr. Joe Gifford at his office in Prairie City. She was hired in 1988 by Grant County to be the public health nurse and during the next 15 years she worked and made significant contributions to the rural community through creative and innovative deliveries of health care. Johnnie continued her college studies and graduated from EOU in June 1993 with a master's degree in nursing and her family nurse practioner's license.

Johnnie received the 2000 Rural Health Nursing Award for her professional accomplishments as a registered nurse working at the Grant County Health Department. In 2002, Johnnie was honored with the Clinician of the Year award. This award recognizes exceptional health care providers in Oregon.

In 2003, Johnnie was once again honored with the Vivian O Lee award, Clinician of the Year. The award draws nominations from exceptional health care providers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. Johnnie demonstrated dedication and hard work during her years at Grant County Health Department. Johnnie was instrumental in implementing various programs including newborn home visiting, women's health exams, well checks for infants, children and men as well as primary care for the whole family.

Johnnie retired from the Grant County Health Department in March 2003, but continued to work part time as a contract FNP at the Health Department for the next year, then fully retired.

Johnnie is survived by her husband, Bob; children, Bob Titus and his wife, Carol, Iva Gill and her husband, Elmer, Donna Adams and her husband, LB, Fonda Thompson and her husband, Ted and Gloria Tirico, all or Prairie City, Marcia Titus of Bend, Laura Swearingen of Eugene, Lisa Marquez of John Day and Tricia Ball and her husband, Bill, of Baker City; 19 grandchildren with one more on the way; 19 great-grandchildren; a brother and sister of Globe, Ariz., a sister of Oklahoma; and one sister-in-law in Prineville. Her parents, two brothers and three sisters preceded her in death.

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