Joanne M. Johnson

1933 - 2019

Joanne Mary Johnson died peacefully surrounded by family and friends at Story Point Assisted Living, May 19, 2019. She was born April 25, 1933 in Cedarfalls, Iowa to Theodore and Astrid LeVine. She was preceded in death by her brother, Eugene LeVine; husband, Ronald; and her son, Mark.

She is survived by her children, Mary (Richard), Lisa (Jim) and David (Kathy); daughter-in-law, Coleen Johnson; grandchildren, Bella Johnson, Joshua Ray (Tina Chen), Kirsten (Michael) Porter, Michelle (David) Wilkins, Justin, Brandon and Evan Johnson; and step grandchildren, Matthew Grundy, Stephanie Zillich and Rick Fuentes. She was a great-grandma to Jackson Wilkins, Mya and Zoey Porter and Evan Ray.

Joanne was raised in Cedarfalls, Iowa and graduated from their high school where she excelled in music, was a member of the National Honor Society and played the violin and piano and received a National Music award in a musical trio she sang in. She continued to love music all her life which seemed to touch her soul. For her 85th and 86th birthdays she was delighted by being serenaded with favorite hymns from family friends and those who loved her.

She attended Iowa State Teachers College for a year after high school and the man that had lived across the street from her for most of her life came home from the U.S. Army and they realized they were forever sweethearts. Her husband Ronald and she moved to Michigan after being married in 1952. Ron started a job at Dow Corning Corp and she also worked there as an administrative assistant until the birth of her first child at which point she became a super mom to Mark, Mary, Lisa and David as well as a super grandparent who was there every moment her kids or grandchildren needed her.

She volunteered at Midland hospital, was very involved in Trinity Lutheran Church and had special friends in prayer groups and reunion groups. She and Ron spent time in Sandestin, Fla. after Dad was retired. They shared precious memories with many visitors there. We have been blessed and will never forget them.

She and her husband were very active and leaders in the Lutheran Via de Cristo movement. But possibly her favorite "job" was sharing her love by making friends, being a friend and bringing that friend to Christ, which she almost always did while taking them to lunch. Possibly the advice she gave to us and the way she lived her life was stated in her own words to her grandchildren when she said "with God's help all things are possible! Please believe that- I promise you that it is true. All your life, go in Jesus's name." This is how she lived her life.

Funeral services for Joanne will take place at noon, Friday, May 24, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3701 Jefferson Ave. The family will receive friends at Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 W. Wheeler St. on Thursday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. and at the church on Friday from 11 a.m. until time of the service.

Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider Trinity Lutheran Church, or Lutheran Via De Cristo of Central Michigan.