Home Page

Christiana Pearl Jordan Johns passed away on Friday, January 15, 2010. Click here or on the Obituary on the left to visit the Houston Chronicle page for Chris.

Chris Johns was well-loved by family and friends. She positively affected every life she touched. She lit up a room when she entered. Her smile was infectious; her spirit uplifting.

This site was created as a tribute to Chris' remarkable life. If you have any special memories of Chris that you would like to share, feel free to use the Contact us page or the Guest Book to introduce yourself.

Chris was a Native Texan born in Long Mott Texas in 1928. She began 1^st grade in Long Mott (Calhoun County) on the Monday after her 5^th birthday in 1933. Chris was a voracious reader from childhood since she learned to read at age 5.

Chris graduated High School in January 1945 from Sam Houston High School after 16^th birthday

Further education – Audited Teletype setting at Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas Chris' first salaried was at  Madding’s Drug Store. She also worked as a Bill Clerk for Red Ball Motor Freight Lines.

In 1950 Cris married Bill Johns who was a coin collector.

Within 2 years after marriage, Bill and Chris were active in Coins.  First, doing mail order and then began a long string of shops.  First, in home on Studewood, (1) on White Oak,  (3) on Westheimer Road, (1) in  Conroe, (1) on Tidwell which was ”operated by daughter Billie until it closed after an armed robbery”(3) in flea markets, (1) on Little York and (2) on FM 1960 . 

The last Coin Shop closed in March of 2000 after a daughters’ hospitalization and Bill’s serious health problems.

Along with being deeply involved in coins, also became involved in local coin clubs.  In September 1955, Chris became member #18 of newly organized Greater Houston Coin Club, becoming secretary treasurer at election in January 1956. Chris held this position for 10 years and many times since ultimately holding every office including two terms as president, never sergeant at arms because the Club didn’t have one.   

Chris became associate member of the American Numismatic Association in 1957.  Her service to ANA included several terms as ANA Club representative from GHCC and culminating in Chris’ becoming the first woman general Chairman of an ANA annual convention in 1978.  The convention was held at the AstroHall at the Astrodome Complex. 

Chris’ experience in chairing events, like that convention, began in 1956 when GHCC began its own annual coin shows.  At that time, the shows were most referring to as Bourses.  Chris joked that she had to look in the dictionary to find the meaning of the word Bourse. That began a tradition for GHCC that continues today.  The Club’s venue stated at the auditorium in Liberty and continued to the George R. Brown in downtown Houston.  Chris’ service to GHCC also included her editorship of the Double Shift Monthly Newsletter that she began in 1964 and was editor at several different periods during her membership. 

Chris and Bill were founding members #18 and #8 respectively of the Texas Numismatic Association in 1960, which they had helped publicize by news articles in their own monthly publication Coins Unlimited which began in 1958.  Chris’ service to TNA included being first Junior Chairperson to encourage participation of the young people.  Chris and Bill also sponsored a Bill and Chris Johns Special Award for Juniors, which aimed toward juniors, arranging displays of their collections for presentations at Coin Shows stressing the information necessary for point scores toward the award.  Chris also served terms as District Governor, Club representative for TNA members in this area.  Awards to Chris since 1956 are too numerous to even keep up with, culminating in the most recent “Bill Johns Award for Excellence in Numismatics” presented by GHCC in appreciation of the Occasion of the Greater Houston Coin Club’s Fiftieth Anniversary on Sept. 16, 2005, which she received in November 2009.   

Chris’ religious life began early, with her German Grandmother wanting her christened Episcopalian, but that not happening because her mother was raised in the Church of Christ which let her decide for herself when she became of age. 

She attended a little country church which stressed memorizing Bible Verses; this lasted until age 8 when her parents separated and Chris and her mother moved into Port Lavaca from the farm.  Chris’ mother had to work.  Their first landlady attended the Pentecostal  Church and tool Chris with her occasionally.   After awhile, Chris and her mother moved to Port Lavaca to be near an aunt and uncle.  Her cousins were attending the First Baptist Church and Chris started to attend.  At age 10, she was baptized.

  She maintained membership in various Baptist denomination churches during subsequent years, ending with the Missionary Baptist Church across from her home in northern Harris County.  By this time, there were 3 children in the family (Linda, Billie, and James), and Chris moved her letter of membership to this church.  She became a Sunday School Teacher and hosted the Woman’s Group at her home weekly. After moving into the Houston Heights in 1956, Chris became unhappy with the weekly visitation by some evangelical groups, which sometimes ended in vociferous arguing about the differences of interpretation of scripture.

The home Chris and family moved into in the Heights had a couple of boxes of books in the garage.  Chris being ready to digest every word she could, started reading them.  In those boxes of books there was ONE, which was an explanation of Catholicism. Well…Chris had not heretofore been exactly enamored of Catholics, but as she said later…"there comes a time!"  After reading the book and becoming more interested, and after discussion with two lady customers at the coin shop, Chris attended an Inquiry Class at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church downtown.  She began to attend St. Joseph’s on a regular basis, and entered the 3 children in preparation course, culminating in the children's Baptism and First Communion in April of 1961.  It would take another 40 years for Chris to make the same journey herself.

Chris continued her attendance at Sunday Mass and reading for years. She particularly came to enjoy attending the Life Teen Mass at St. James the Apostle Catholic Church in Spring and this is where Chris finally became a “Card Carrying Catholic”.  Her First Communion and Confirmation were given by Rev. Charles Samperi, the pastor of St. James, on Sunday afternoon during Life Teen Mass.  One of Chris’ most honored memories was that communion was given from the chalice that Father "Charlie" had received as a gift at his Ordination to the priesthood. 

Chris has maintained her interest in Coins after the closing of the last shop and the subsequent death of Bill in 2000.  Chris and daughter Billie began attending one-day coin shows in the State.  They have a great many devoted friends and clients who come to the shows. 

Chris has always been gratified that her children, including her second son born in 1962 have maintained some interest in coins.  Linda has done the books and taxes for the shops for years.  Billie has worked in two shops and accompanied her to the shows.  James, a computer specialist has produced computer work needed in the shops and for the shows.  Tony, a 23-yr enlistee in the U.S. Army had worked in the shops, operated the teletype, had his own shop and during his time in the Army has secured coins for Chris from places where he has been stationed…and the beat goes on.

Chris’ oldest Grandson has the company name and continues as the 3^rd generation of Coin Dealers.  TJ has worked in the Johns’ shops, has worked in another local Coin Shop and while he is a Houston Police department Officer and has maintained his own collection, wants to have a shop exactly like Granny and Granddaddy had. 

Chris’ collections span a multitude of interest.  Besides her love of coins, starting with the usual beginners collections, she spread out unto Jefferson Nickel, Birth Year Coins, Paper Money of the State of Texas signed by CR Johns, no kin.  And finally, dragons on Coins.  Chris always maintained that if she had two of something, she had a collection.  Well those ‘two’ of something’s included Rosaries, figures of Nuns, miniature Liquor Bottles, Doll House furniture, Science Fantasy books that included Dragons.  Also items of collectible interests were Wind Chimes and numerous Bibles of Different Religions.  Her largest Collection was of miniature Coins measuring about 5 millimeters or less. The entire collection of 100+ Coins did not fill up the half dollar sized plastic tube.   

Chris also maintains a quite extensive Library of Catholic Literature.  Chris always wanted to convert her “junque” room, but the junque multiplied more rapidly that the publications and of course other multiple books that just had to be retained.