Rosalie Margaret (Holmes) Johnson, 98, died April 21, 2024, in Springfield.
Funeral services will be Thursday, April 25, at 12 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Nokomis with the Rev. Christen Prumm officiating. Visitation with family begins at 10 a.m. in the church preceding the funeral. Burial will follow services in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Johnson was born Jan. 16, 1926, to the late Ralph R. and Anna Olive (Sanders) Holmes near Nokomis. She married Leslie A. Johnson at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Sept. 9, 1945, following his tour of duty in WWII. They enjoyed 66 years together until his passing on April 7, 2012.
Mrs. Johnson grew up on her family’s farm and attended Fair Prairie School, a one-room schoolhouse. She graduated from Nokomis High School as valedictorian, then served as secretary to the principal of the school. Upon her marriage to Leslie, she accompanied him to army posts in Fort Sill, OK and Fort Smith, AR. She worked at the latter post processing soldiers’ discharge papers, and her husband’s discharge was the last to cross her desk. For more than 50 years the couple made their home in Rountree Township in Montgomery County where they raised their family and worked alongside one another on their farm. In retirement they lived in Nokomis and more recently, Mrs. Johnson resided at Concordia Village Senior Living in Springfield.
Often, Mrs. Johnson invited family and friends to her kitchen table for coffee, conversation, a country dinner or perhaps a game of Dominoes or Yahtzee. Her grandkids and great-grandkids looked forward to time with Grandma. Other folks appreciated her caring visits to the sick and aging, as well as her thoughtful gestures of kindness. Mrs. Johnson was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where she served on committees and held office of leadership, particularly in Ladies Aid organization. She volunteered at the local food pantry and on election days assisted at the polls in Rountree Township.
Mrs. Johnson is survived by five children, Lamar (Kathy) Johnson of Pensacola, FL, Glenn Johnson of Springfield, Arthur (Ann) Johnson of Evansville, IN, John (Jan) Johnson of St. Louis and Colleen Johnson (David) Winkler of Benton, KY; eleven grandchildren, Rodney (Tammy) Johnson, Teri (Todd) West, Kris Johnson, Linen (Pablo) Irizarry, Lea Johnson, Brent (Cindy) Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Tyler (Amy) Johnson, Rana (Cameron) Brown, Stephanie Winkler (Zach Shinall) and James Winkler; twelve great-grandchildren; sisters, Dorothy Downs of Taylorville and Jean Herzog of Excelsior Springs, MO; brother-in-law Harold Dixon of Jacksonville; and many nieces and nephews.
Along with her parents and husband, Mrs. Johnson was preceded in death by granddaughter, Lacy Johnson; great-granddaughter Reagan Johnson; two sisters, Mildred Dixon and Janelda Hill; brothers-in-law, William Downs, Robert Hill and Carroll “Dusty” Herzog; stepfather John Bauman; and step-brothers Earl Bauman and Paul Bauman.
The family request memorials be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Cemetery or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Stiehl Dawson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Online condolences can be left at stiehldawsonfh.com
