Johnston, Virginia Jolene

Virginia Jolene Johnston, 90, of Montezuma, passed away peacefully in her sleep March 1, 2013, at Montezuma Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Virginia was born Aug. 21, 1922, in Marengo, the daughter of Hefmon and Lydia Mae Schrader Davis. She graduated Montezuma High School in 1942. In 1949, she was united in marriage with Roger W. Johnston in Waterloo. The couple farmed in Montezuma, Poweshiek County. She was employed as a telephone operator for Montezuma Telephone for several years and then left the company to raise her family and work on the family farm.

Virginia loved her family dearly and enjoyed sharing her time with them. She enjoyed baking and cooking, reading the local newspaper and listening to WMT and KGRN radio stations. She also enjoyed coffee with her friends and for several years worked on her high school class reunion committee. She was a member of the Willing Workers, a neighborhood women's club.

Survivors include three children, Cathy Haynes of Brooklyn, Sally Jo (David) Cook of Deep River and William (Toni) Johnston of Des Moines; two sisters, LaDonna Anderson and Phyllis Osborn of Montezuma; eight grandchildren, Kathryn McCulley, Tammy Beardmore, Barbara Nelson, Travis Cook, Josephine Schulte, Robert Haynes, Trampus Cook and John Haynes; three stepchildren, Jennifer (Mitch) Johnson, Wesley (Leah) Detman and Gary Detman; 11 great-grandchildren; and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; daughter, Jolene Virginia; two sisters, Dema and LaVonne; and a son-in-law, Gerald Haynes.

A graveside service and burial has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Masonic Odd Fellows Cemetery in Montezuma. Visitation with the family present will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell.

The family requests no flowers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Montezuma Nursing Home Activity Fund in Virginia's name.

We would like to thank the staff at Montezuma Nursing Home for the excellent, loving care she received while she lived there.

 Published March 7, 2013 in The Gazette