Ruth Victoria Johnson, age 77, of Bethesda, died Friday, February 27, 2004 at East Ohio Regional Hospital, Martins Ferry, Ohio. She was born April 19, 1926 at Jacobsburg, Ohio, daughter of the late George Washington "Leroy" Underwood and Mary Evelyn Johnson Underwood.

She was a retired employee from Riesbeck?s Food Market at St. Clairsville and a Methodist by faith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Lewis Johnson; four brothers, Arthur, Harold, Louis and Ralph Underwood; and six sisters, twins Beatrice and Bernice Underwood, Edna Hines, Grace Saffell, Mary Homan and Alice Bumgardner.

Surviving are two sons, Edward Lewis Johnson of St. Clairsville, Ohio and Dennis Allan Johnson of Statesville, North Carolina; two brothers, Floyd Underwood of Bellaire and Robert Underwood of Delaware; a sister, Alberta Shaw; ten grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

Family and friends will be received at the Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville on Monday from 5:00 p.m. until time of services at 8:00 p.m. with Rev. Wayne Ickes officiating. Burial will be on Wednesday, March 3, 2004 at 1 p.m. in Union Cemetery, St. Clairsville.