Johnson, Crystal E. (1933-2018)

JOHNSON, GROE, CORNELIUS, BETSINGER, BOYSEN, HALVORSON, HOVEY

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 11/16/2018 at 16:19:04

Crystal E. Johnson
April 1, 1933 - October 16, 2018

A daughter of Alfred and Elizabeth (Cornelius) Groe, Crystal Elizabeth Johnson was born on April 1, 1933, near Northwood, Iowa. She grew up near Northwood and attended country school before finishing her schooling in Lake Mills. In 1951, she graduated from the Lake Mills High School. Next, she attended the Lutheran Deaconess School of Nursing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After completing her education, she worked as a Registered Nurse at the Forest City Hospital and later in Miami, Arizona, for one year before returning to the Forest City Hospital.

Through her years as a RN, Crystal cared for many patients and enjoyed reconnecting with them and their family members. Many elderly and ill family and friends enjoyed her annual holiday baking. She made krumkake from Halloween to Easter each year and one year she even logged 80 buckets. In addition, she enjoyed preparing and serving hot noon meals to the many young people that walked the Johnson bean fields over the years.

On April 14, 1957, Crystal married Donald H. Johnson at Sion Lutheran Church rural Northwood. After their wedding, they lived and farmed near Buffalo Center while Crystal, also, worked at the Buffalo Center Hospital until it closed. They remained on the farm until they moved into Buffalo Center in 2006.

Crystal enjoyed cooking and doing many crafts including making embroidery for quilts, crocheting afghans, needlepointing, and especially doing hardanger. An active member of the First Reformed Church in the past, she had served as a Sunday Evening Service organist and Sunday School teacher.

Crystal shared her talents by teaching others hardanger and then enjoyed their successes at various fairs. She felt proud of her young neighbors, Zach and Ryan Steffensen, for whom she had provided childcare. Moreover, during her final years, she would, even, encourage her care givers. She died on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center. She was 85.

She is survived by her husband, Donald H. Johnson, of Buffalo Center; her daughter, Sheryl Johnson, of Burnsville, Minnesota; her son, Eldon Johnson, of Buffalo Center; her grandsons, Allix Betsinger, of Lakota, and Dallas Boysen-Betsinger of Austin, Minnesota; her siblings, a twin brother, Comer (Audrey) Groe, of Lake Mills, Esther (Ronald) Halvorson, of Joice, Marilyn Peterson, of Annandale, Minnesota; and an aunt, Wilma Groe, of Burlington; as well as by several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, JoAnn Hovey.

Oakcrest Funeral Services ~ Winter Chapel, Buffalo Center, Iowa, 2018.

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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