Mimi Johnson, the newest member of the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame. (John Fisken photo)
Mimi Johnson did it all.
Down the road, when it sinks in that she and her family (husband Scott and children Elliott and Stella) have really left Whidbey behind for the wilds of Danville, Kentucky, her absence will be enormous.
Mimi wore many hats during her years in Cow Town, as a player, coach, volunteer and business owner, and today we induct her into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame for her full body of work.
After this, you may not find her down at the CHS softball field as often, but you will always find her up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab.
We’re enshrining her as a Contributor, as a way to encompass everything she accomplished.
Back in her high school days, when she was still writing Iverson on her papers, Mimi was a standout softball player for CHS who later went on to play college ball.
After marriage and kids, she joined with brother Matt to do the seemingly impossible and resurrected Ebey Bowl after a decade-long absence.
The bowling alley of their youth had spent years neglected, basically a dumping ground for old car parts and boats, when the duo sparked a Phoenix-like rebirth.
When not working together to run the family insurance business, the brother/sister combo recreated a ’50s-style alley, and the place was popular with a new generation during its second run.
Around all that, Mimi, like her husband, devoted countless hours to Central Whidbey Little League.
Working as a coach, she took several softball teams, at different age levels, to the state tourney, capping her run by leading the Juniors squad to the big dance this year on the very day she was moving off-Island.
Through it all, Mimi rarely, if ever, lost her smile.
She was adept at bringing people together and worked to include players and families from North and South onto her Central Whidbey teams, when the other parts of the Island couldn’t field their own squads.
Mimi got along with everyone, even umpires, and her impact on a generation of young local softball sluggers, who have been ripping through rivals (but doing it with class) at every level, is immeasurable.
And now she’s gone, Kentucky’s gain and our loss.
Except, she’s not really gone.
Mimi’s fun, unassuming style will linger on through seasons to come, as her players go on to take the field for other coaches.
As future softball successes play out, she will be a part of them, if from afar.
And if Kentucky doesn’t work out?
Whidbey is always here waiting, and it wouldn’t be hard to find a coaching job upon her return.
Just start off with “So, yeah, I’m in the Hall of Fame…” and go from there.
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