Christina Lee Johnson

Christina Lee Johnson, 33, of Chicago, Ill., and formerly of La Porte, Ind., passed away Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in Chicago.

She was born Jan. 22, 1988, in La Porte to Mark and Kathryn (Troy) Johnson.

A 2006 graduate of La Porte High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University in 2010 and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan in 2012. She was most recently an associate director at Evolent Health in Chicago.

Chrissie is survived by her fiancé, Gregory Fuhrmeister of Chicago; her mother and step-father, Kathryn and Jeffrey Bernel of Granger, Ind.; her father and step-mother, Mark and Jan Johnson of Stevensville, Mich.; a brother and sister-in-law, Brian and Breck Johnson of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a sister and brother-in-law, Laura and Nick Edquist of Chicago; a step-sister, Laurel Bernel of Los Angeles, Calif.; a step-brother, Nick Bernel of Washington, D.C.; several aunts, uncles and cousins; and her fur-baby, Riley.

Chrissie and Greg were to be married Aug. 1, 2020, but the pandemic forced them to postpone their wedding to June 19, 2021. Even though Chrissie and Greg won’t be able to formally celebrate their wedding, Chrissie did take great joy in planning for it. More importantly, she treasured the years-long love, support and commitment from her husband-to-be.

Chrissie’s blessings were many. She was smart, beautiful, ambitious, stylish, kind, and loyal. Her adventurous spirit led her to study in Spain, Peru and the Dominican Republic while in school, and later to travel to Mexico, Italy and Germany. She fulfilled her dream of living and working in downtown Chicago, experiencing everything the city had to offer, from street festivals and comedy shows to restaurants and musicals. Chrissie’s unmistakable smile could light up an entire room. Her sense of humor was infectious, and the sound of her laughter will remain one of our fondest of many memories.

Chrissie fought cancer like no other, fiercely battling for nearly seven years. Her analytical mind enabled her to research cutting-edge treatments and move her care across institutions to find the optimal outcome. Chrissie’s highly pedigreed doctors often took note of her advanced knowledge. She was determined to not let the disease either define her or limit her experiences in life. She succeeded.

Visitation in La Porte will be Thursday, March 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. (5 to 8 p.m. EST) at Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, 1117 Indiana Ave.

Visitation in Chicago will be Friday, March 19, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Lakeview Funeral Home, 1458 W. Belmont Ave. A funeral service Friday afternoon at Chicago’s Saint Clement Church will, due to covid restrictions, be private. Her final resting place will be in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago.

Please share prayers, condolences, and memories with the family at EsslingFuneralHome.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

— Colon Cancer Coalition: https://donate.coloncancercoalition.org/memorials/CLJohnson

— Colorectal Cancer Alliance: Fundraising for Colorectal Cancer Alliance (ccalliance.org)

— Greater Chicago Food Depository: Greater Chicago Food Depository | Chicago’s Food Bank

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