Page 20 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2020- Online Magazine

A Song in Her Heart:

CARLA JOHNSON

usic became a large part of Carla Johnson’s life at
an early age. After her father was killed in combat
Min the Philippine Islands in WWII, Carla and her
mother lived in Lubbock, where several family members were
involved in church music. Carla began taking piano lessons
when she was seven and, when she was ten, started a life-
long singing ministry. In the sixth grade, she began studying
the violin and played in the school orchestra for four years.
In junior high and high school, she sang in the choir and
regularly performed in two trios: one trio included two of her
cousins; the other trio included Ralna English, who later sang
on the Lawrence Welk television show. One of her programs
was highlighted by Buddy Holly and his group, the Crickets.

Carla attended Texas Tech University, where she majored in
music and sang in the Tech choir. While attending Tech, she
met Lieutenant Lyn Oberdier who was in pilot training at
Reese Air Force Base. She and Lyn sang in their respective
church choirs, where they each served as section leaders.
Shortly after Carla graduated from Tech, they married and
moved to Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, where Lyn was stationed
and where their son Carl was born. While at Ft. Walton Beach,
Carla taught music at Edwins Elementary School.

The family next moved to Monterey, California, where Lyn
attended the Naval Postgraduate School, and Carla became
assistant director of the Monterey Peninsula Chorale. After
Lyn received orders that his next assignment would be to
Vietnam, Carla returned to Lubbock to be closer to her family
and have their second child while Lyn finished school.

Six months after their daughter Laura was born, Lyn left for
Vietnam. Carla’s fears were realized when he was killed while
flying a mission. Several months later, the Air Force notified
her that Lyn had been awarded several medals, including the
Silver Star medal for valor, which would be presented to her
at an awards ceremony to take place just west of Lubbock at
Reese AFB.
During the awards ceremony a mix-up occurred: the Silver
Star medal Carla was to receive was presented to another
officer, and the Silver Star medal the other officer was
to receive was presented to Carla. After the mix-up was
discovered, Carla and the other officer, Captain Phil Johnson,
arranged to meet and exchange medals. Before they could do
so, Laura contracted spinal meningitis. Carla’s deeply rooted

20 Lubbock Senior Link