In 1944, Johnson married Evelyn Vernon (née Paynter), a former ballet dancer and a dance instructor who, like Johnson, was married when they met. This caused great difficulties, particularly for Evelyn, who came from a very upright middle-class background and was a strict Roman Catholic. Nevertheless, both divorced their spouses, and they married; Johnson's connections kept the matter out of the gossip columns. Johnson bought her clothes, jewels and a Rolls-Royce which sat outside Claridges in London. If she went out walking, the Rolls-Royce would follow her, until she tired and wanted to get in to rest her feet. In latter years, Evelyn and Bob's union was blessed by the Catholic Church. This was arranged by Father Martin D'Arcy, a Jesuit at Farm Street Church in Mayfair, London. On his deathbed in 1968, Johnson would admit nobody to see him except "his Evie", who stayed by his bed and to whom he was devoted.