Mariolina Esposto Johnson   The Johnson family is heartbroken to announce the passing of Mariolina Esposto Johnson, who died after battling cancer. She died in Provo, Utah on October 25, 2018, surrounded by her family and close friends. Mariolina was born in 1957 in the town of Penne in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Her father was a hotel director and the family lived in several different cities as his career progressed, eventually settling in Pescara. There she completed high school and at the age of 19, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Two years later, in 1978, she came to America, married Mark J. Johnson, learned English, set up a home, and raised a family, living in Orem, Utah the past 31 years. In addition to raising her family, Mariolina worked part-time at several jobs and took classes in art history and Italian language and literature at Brigham Young University. Her favorite job was working at BYU in the Italian Department, teaching Italian grammar and working in the Italian lab with students, many of them returned missionaries who had served in Italy. Mariolina learned to crochet at the age of 5 and this became a life-long hobby at which she excelled and worked on almost every day, making booties, bibs, infant dresses and tablecloths. She loved good books, good movies, the theatre, and her friends. She especially loved her family – her parents and siblings in Italy, and the joy of her life, her children and grandchildren whom she called her "gioelli" (her jewels). A good day for her was to be surrounded by family and friends, sharing her Italian cooking. Nothing made her happier than being a Nonna. Her parents, Giorgio and Gigliola Esposto, predeceased her. She is survived by her husband, Mark J. Johnson, her children Andrew (Tiffany), Tiffany Nelson (Brent), Alexandra Russell (Taylor), and Brandon and her seven grandchildren, Milo, Crew, Monroe, Rocco, Wren, Stella, and Rome, as well as brothers Piergiorgio (Ines), Stefano, and Antonio (Elenora) and two sisters, Ida Rinelli (Gianni) and Fausta.   Funeral services will be held at the Cascade 7th Ward chapel on the corner of 400 East and 400 North at 11 am on Monday, October 29, 2018. Family visitation will take place from 10:00 to 10:45. Interment will be at Eastlawn Cemetery in Provo.