Edna Bernice (Schaal) Johnson (1884-1954)

SCHAAL, JOHNSON, JONAS, FLETCHER, GRAVES, AIREY, HARVEY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/29/2023 at 13:22:52

From The Slater News October 21, 1954 (page 1)

Rites Sunday for Mrs. J. Roy Johnson

ALLEMAN -- Services for Mrs. J. Roy Johnson were held Sunday afternoon at Salem Evangelical and Reformed Church with her pastor, Rev. F. E. Stucki, in charge. Mrs. Robert Newman, presiding at the organ, accompanied Kenneth Gfeller, who sang "The Lord's Prayer" at the close of the sermon. In charge of the floral arrangements were Mrs. Orville Birkestrand, Mrs. Robert Buehler and Mrs. Lloyd Fleming. There were many memorial gifts to missions and to the Church Building Fund.

Pallbearers were Louis Buehler, Howard Ward, Charles Davis, George Gfeller, Will Alleman and Guy Zelle.

Interment was at Polk City.

Mrs. Johnson was a life-time resident of Polk County. She was the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Schaal and was born at the farm homestead near Polk City, July 24, 1884, and passed quietly to her reward Wednesday evening, Oct. 13, 1954, at the age of 70 years, 2 months and 18 days.

From early childhood she was a member of the Methodist Church in Polk City where she was active in its many capacities, and served as organist and assisted in choir work as well. Bereft of her mother at the age of 12 she kept house for her father until his death. She was graduated from Polk City High School and afterwards attended Des Moines University.

On May 21, 1913, she was married to J. Roy Johnson, of Polk City, and with him moved to Alleman where he was engaged in business. Here they built the first new commodious house in Alleman and moved into it on Feb. 14, 1914. This became their haven of hospitality which she maintained to the last. Six children came to bless this union three boys and three girls. One boy, Raymond, however, lost his life in an accident at the age of 18.

After her marriage, Mrs. Johnson affiliated with the Congregational Church where for 25 years, Mr. Johnson was the Sunday School superintendent, and where the family attended.

Following the death of her husband in 1947, Mrs. Johnson transferred her membership to the Salem Evangelical and Reformed Church were she took a lively interest in its organizations and spiritual ministrations. She was of alert mind and had varied interests and kept abreast of community and world affairs, and gave freely of energies to all school and community activities, always thinking of others. She was a charter member of the Polk City Eastern Star and was the youngest worthy matron ever to hold that office. She later transferred to Ankeny chapter, and was given an emblem two years ago for a 50 year membership in the organization. She was a member of the Women's Guild of the church, the Des Moines Women's Club and Friendly Club of Alleman. Always an extensive traveler, Mrs. Johnson last year enjoyed a Caribbean cruise to South America by way of Panama and later spent the winter in Florida.

Having been blessed with good health most of her life and coming from a long-lived family, her failing health the last six months was of much concern to her family and after five weeks of hospitalization with the best of medics, her death came as a distinct shock to all who knew her.

Surviving are three daughters and two sons: (Esther) Mrs. Emil Jonas of Grand Lodge, Mich.; (Louise) Mrs. A. Fletcher of Seattle, Wash.; Bernice Johnson of San Francisco; Joel R. Johnson of Alleman and R. Lynn Johnson of Maxwell; three sisters and two brothers: Mrs. Frederike Graves of Madrid, Mrs. Elizabeth Airey of San Francisco, Calif.; Mrs. Caroline Harvey of Perry, Ia.; Charles Schaal of Beach, N. D.; and R. B. Schaal of Los Angeles, Calif.; eight grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and more distant relatives and a host of friends.