Jay Rechie Johnson

In Loving Memory of Jay Rechiee Juree Johnson

Jay Rechiee Juree Johnson, also lovingly known by his Karen name "Saw Kloo Say Doe," was born on May 20, 1998, on a Wednesday morning at approximately 8:00 a.m., in Tham Hin Refugee Camp in Thailand. He was born weighing only 3 pounds, beginning a life that would carry him across countries, through many challenges, and into the hearts of many people who loved him deeply.

Jay was raised by his mother, Naw Bo Ra, as a single mother, alongside his beloved sister, Naw Chi Poe. From the very beginning, his family was the foundation of his life. His mother worked hard to raise her children and give them a better future, and Jay grew up knowing the love and sacrifices she made for him and his sister.

In 2007, Jay and his family came to the United States and settled in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Coming to a new country meant beginning a completely different chapter of life. There were many challenges along the way, but Jay continued growing, learning, and finding his place in his new home.

Jay attended Como Elementary School, where he began in the third grade and continued through sixth grade. He later attended Washington Technology School for seventh and eighth grade. He went on to attend Walter H. Maginnis High School, where he eventually graduated.

Throughout his school years and as he grew older, Jay made many friends. His friendships meant a great deal to him. He loved the people in his life and formed connections with those around him that stayed with him throughout the years. His friends were an important part of his life, and he enjoyed spending time with them, visiting them, talking with them, and simply being around people he cared about.

Jay was also naturally talented in mathematics. He was always good at math, and it was one of the subjects that came naturally to him. His ability to work with numbers was something people around him noticed and remembered about him.

Jay had a creative side as well. He loved music, especially rap music, and dreamed of writing his own music. Music was something that captured his attention and gave him a way to express himself. He enjoyed listening to songs and had an interest in creating music of his own. His love for music was a special part of his personality and something that those close to him will remember.

Jay's favorite color was red. He also cared about his appearance and enjoyed dressing up when he went out. He liked wearing jewelry and putting effort into how he looked. Before leaving the house, he would make sure he looked good and would spray himself with cologne, wanting to smell good whenever he went out. These little details were part of who Jay was. They showed his personality, his sense of style, and the way he enjoyed presenting himself to the world.

Although Jay enjoyed being around his friends and loved going out, he also had a quieter side. When he was home, he often liked keeping to himself and watching movies. Home was a place where he could relax, have his own space, and simply be himself.

Jay also loved food. He was never particularly picky and enjoyed eating many different kinds of food. Sharing meals and enjoying food was one of the simple pleasures of his life.

Life was not always easy for Jay. He experienced hardships and struggles throughout his life, especially while growing up and adjusting to circumstances that were not always within his control. Despite the difficulties he faced, he continued trying his best. He did what he could to move forward, and he tried to listen to his mother and take her words to heart. Like anyone, he had his struggles and imperfections, but beneath everything was a person who was trying to find his way through life.

His relationship with his mother was especially meaningful. Naw Bo Ra was not only his mother, but one of the people who loved him most deeply in this world. She worried about him, cared for him, and continued to pray for him every night. Her love for her son never stopped. No matter what life brought, Jay remained her son, and she continued to hold him in her heart and in her prayers.

Jay also found a deeper connection with his faith. On Sunday, April 20, 2025, he was baptized at First Baptist Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This became an important part of his life and his spiritual journey.

Jay's life was a journey that began in Thailand and continued in Minnesota. From being born in a refugee camp weighing only three pounds, to growing up in Saint Paul, attending American schools, graduating high school, making lifelong friendships, discovering his love for music, enjoying fashion and jewelry, watching movies at home, and finding his place in his community, his life held many chapters.

On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Jay's earthly journey came to an end.

He leaves behind a family who loved him, friends who shared memories and important moments with him, and a mother who will forever carry her son in her heart. His passing has left an emptiness that cannot simply be filled. The people who knew Jay will each remember a different part of him: his smile, his personality, his love for music, his sense of style, his friendships, his love of food, his quiet moments at home, his ability with math, and the many memories they created together.

To his friends, Jay was someone they spent time with, laughed with, visited, and shared life with. To his family, he was a son, a brother, and someone whose place in the family can never be replaced. To his mother, he was her beloved son, someone she prayed for every night and loved with all her heart.

Jay's life may not have been easy, but his life was meaningful. He was here. He was loved. He formed friendships. He made memories. He had dreams, interests, hopes, and a personality all his own. His story began thousands of miles away in Thailand and continued in Minnesota, where he grew up and became part of a community and a family that will remember him.

Though Jay is no longer physically with us, the memories he left behind will continue to live in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. His friends will remember the time they spent together. His family will remember growing up beside him. And his mother will carry the memory of her son with her for the rest of her life.

May Jay's memory be remembered with love, compassion, and peace.

May he rest peacefully, and may his memory forever remain in the hearts of everyone who loved him.

Jay Rechiee Juree Johnson

"Saw Kloo Say Doe"

May 20, 1998 - September 8, 2026

Forever loved. Forever remembered. Never forgotten.