Colleen R. Johnson

1936 - 2024

Colleen R. Johnson
Born: October 22, 1936 in Estherville, IA
Died: June 1, 2024 in DeKalb, IL
Colleen Mae (Rasmussen) Johnson, 87, passed away on June 1, 2024 following a 14-month journey with ovarian cancer. Her final moments were spent peacefully at her home in DeKalb, Illinois, surrounded by her loving family.
Colleen was born October 22, 1936, in Estherville, Iowa, daughter of Marvin and A. Louise (Feldhahn) Rasmussen. She grew up on a farm near Baldwin, WI, moving to River Falls, WI after her father died. She attended River Falls High School and River Falls State College where she played flute in the band and waited tables to earn her teaching degree in elementary education. It was in the college book line that she met the love of her life, Jim Johnson, with whom she shared almost 66 years of happy marriage. She taught first grade for three years, then moved to DeKalb when Jim began working at Northern Illinois University, and chose to stay home to raise their three daughters. Colleen devoted her energies to her family and her home, her many volunteer efforts, her friends and neighbors, and activities at First Lutheran Church where she was an active member for 59 years. Colleen and Jim hosted countless international students over the years, becoming a "home away from home" for numerous students, with whom she maintained contact through the decades. She made their home a welcoming and accepting place for all.
Colleen was known for her green thumb. She grew her own vegetables, and generously shared the fruits of her raspberry patch with all. She spent countless hours nurturing her garden and beautiful flowers. Her strawberry freezer jam was legend, especially paired with her homemade lefse. Colleen loved to travel and felt fortunate to be able to visit places she dreamed of as a child. She and Jim traveled extensively through the United States and abroad.
Colleen will be forever remembered for her bright smile, positive attitude, love of friends and family, willingness to help whoever needed it without judgement, and her very strong faith. She sponsored families coming to the USA from countries in conflict, brought meals and treats to those who needed a hand, visited those who were lonely, and helped her daughters. She valued getting her people together, hosting reunion weekends for 45 relatives in their home on Thanksgiving weekends and putting together large family reunions in Wisconsin. She lived a life of service and had a unique way of making people feel accepted and valued in her presence.
Colleen is survived by her beloved husband of 65 years, James A. (Jim) Johnson of DeKalb, her three daughters Gail M (David) Cook of Algonquin, IL, Janell K (Eric) Duwell of Oshkosh WI, Annette L Johnson (Jose Gil Gibaja) of East Dundee, IL and Otura, Spain, 8 treasured grandchildren, Brad Cook, Matt Cook, Chris (Erica Neradt) Cook, Andy (Brittany) Duwell, Erin Tedesco, Ethan (Claire) Duwell, Elise (Justin) Schwarz, Iker Johnson Gil, and 8 great-grandchildren and counting. She is also survived by her three siblings Mavis (Lyndon) Jones, Vernon (Helen) Rasmussen, Jim Rasmussen, her sister-in-law Carol Rasmussen, and many nieces and nephews who she loved dearly. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Arlis, and her sister-in-law Karen (Jim) Rasmussen. Colleen was an "extra" mom to people too numerous to count and maintained a special bond with Patricia Jimenez (Marcos) Linares, and her children Estefan and Natalia, who all became part of the family and knew Colleen as "Mama Johnson".
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2024 at First Lutheran Church, 324 N 3rd Street, DeKalb Illinois. Visitation is at 11am, followed by the service at 12pm and a luncheon in the church social hall. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11am on September 14, 2024 at Historic Woodside Place, 2053 Country Road N, Baldwin, Wisconsin, the country church Colleen attended as a child.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the organizations that Colleen supported. Memorials can be made to Operation Bootstrap Africa (bootstrapafrica.org) to support the MaaSAE Girls School, or ELCA World Hunger (elca.org). Colleen felt she had a wonderful and fortunate life. To honor her we ask that you befriend someone who is lonely, offer a helping hand to a fellow struggling human, get to know your neighbors and cultivate the kindness and patience Colleen bestowed on all.
The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to the kind and loving caregivers provided by Visiting Angels, who tenderly cared for Colleen in her final months, as well as the staff of Northern Illinois Hospice and of Kishwaukee Cancer Center and Hospital.