Thyrza Horswell Johnson, 1875-1976

JOHNSON, HORSWELL

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/10/2009 at 07:07:37

100-Year-Old Woman Dies

Mrs. J. Ed Johnson, 100, 1416 S. Newton St., died Saturday at her home after a brief illness.

Mrs. Johnson, the former Thyrza Horswell, was born Dec. 30 1875 on a farm in Emmet County, Iowa. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa at Cedar Falls in 1898 and taught in public schools for seven years.

She studied at the former Evenson School of Fine Arts here and taught painting. She was married to Mr. Johnson in 1905 in Emmet County. The couple lived in Des Moines and Sioux Falls before moving to Sioux City in 1907, and she lived the rest of her life here. Her husband died Aug. 27 1944 in Sioux City.

She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, Wimodausis Study Club, American Association of University Women, Morningside Garden Club, Sioux City Woman's Club, and Morningside Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, and was a charter member of the Psi Psi Psi sorority.

She won an award of merit from the Iowa Department of Agriculture for preserving flora in Morningside.

Survivors include a son, Lloyd E. of East Peoria, Ill.; a daughter, Ruth B. Teitsworth of Sunland, Calif.; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren, and two sisters, Mrs. Mae Laisy of Glendive, Mont. and Mrs. Blanche Woodbury of Upper Montclair, N.J.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the W. Harry Christy Funeral Home in Morningside. The Rev Charles Q. Wallace will officiate. Burial will be in Graceland Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Kenneth Ebsen, James Goff, Parnell Mahoney and Ron Will.

Contributed by: Sue Olson. Source: Unknown Sioux City newspaper, Woodbury County, Iowa after Dec. 18, 1976.