Jean Marie Johnson

Jean (Olson) Johnson, age 97, of Marshalltown, passed away on Monday, April 28, 2025 under the care of Iowa River Hospice at Bickford of Marshalltown.

Jean Marie Olson was born on September 13, 1927, on a farm one-quarter mile NE of Dunbar, IA, the daughter of Clifford and Myrtle (Bryngelson) Olson. Jean had a fraternal twin sister, Joan. In 1940, Jean moved with her family to a farm one-half mile north of LaMoille, where she attended school and met her future husband.

On June 28, 1946, Jean married Charles Fredrick Johnson at the LaMoille Congregational Church. They made their home in LaMoille and welcomed five children: Stephen, Mary, Douglas, Roger, and Todd. The Johnson family opened their home to foster children for over 10 years.

Jean was active in her church and known by the community for her legendary dishes: mac and cheese, peach pie, and chocolate cake. In her younger years, she also embraced her Norwegian heritage by cooking kumla and making kringla. Jean enjoyed flower gardening, fishing, and bird watching, especially bluebirds. In recent years, Jean never missed watching Iowa Hawkeye basketball, football, and baseball games.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; sons, Douglas and Todd Johnson, great-great-grandson Emmett Freese; and siblings, Doris (Ed) Heng, Carroll (Helen) Olson, Robert (Ann) Olson, Joan (Lester) Dudek, Howard (Kay) Olson, and Sharon (Julian) Carrillo.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Stephen (Mariann) Johnson of Ramsey, MN, Mary (Charles) Gifford of Hill City, MN, and Roger Johnson of LaMoille; grandchildren, Christine (Stephen) Altenhofen, Matthew Johnson, David (Danielle) Wilkey-Johnson, Bradley (Tiffany) Gifford, Lisa (Jeff) Davis, Scott Johnson, Jason Johnson, Troy Johnson, Emily Johnson, Haley (Andy) Nichols, Valerie Johnson, Eric Johnson and Jennette Johnson. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Michelle (Cody) Freese, Jennifer Altenhofen, Nicholas Altenhofen, Kaitlin, Layla, Marshall and Lars Johnson, Alix, Rylan and Ruby Gifford, Megan (Brandon) Schreifels, and Mason Davis, Jordan Jeandron, Piper Johnson, Parker, Hazel and Olive Grott, Asher, Lily and Greta Nichols and Grace and Jillian Johnson; her great-great-grandchildren, Eliza and Adeline Freese, Glenn Joecks, Zander and Kinsely Schreifels; her sister-in-law, Helen Olson and her brother-in-law Julian Carrillo.

Services for Jean will be held on Monday, May 5, 2025 beginning at 1:00 P.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. A visitation for family and friends will be held on Sunday, May 4, 2025 from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home.

Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted to care for Jean and her family. To leave online condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Ph. 641-844-1234. Memorial donations may be directed to LaMoille Congregational Church.

- Lovingly written by the family