Alice I. Johnson (Dougherty)

ALICE I. JOHNSON (DOUGHERTY)

Cedar Rapids

Alice I. Johnson (Dougherty), born March 19, 1927, in Waukon, passed away with her family by her side on Oct. 9, 2021, in Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Burial will be in Shueyville Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to services Thursday at the Church. Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre in Cedar Rapids is in charge of arrangements.

Alice was one of eight children born to Irene and Emmet Dougherty and was raised on their farm in Waukon. Alice married Clarence A. Johnson on Oct. 9, 1948 and farmed in Waukon until moving to Cedar Rapids to raise their family and start their own small business: Clarence Johnson Construction Company. Alice and Clarence made a great team building homes all throughout the Cedar Rapids area, where Alice made an art of staining and painting new homes while simultaneously raising six children. In their free time they enjoyed playing cards with friends, fishing, or hitting the town dancing until Clarence's passing in 1979.

After retirement, Alice found a new passion wintering in Texas attending social dancing six nights a week. She made great friends and made many memories laughing on the dance floor. During her last 10 years, she spent her winters with her two daughters in Florida, where she looked forward to visiting the Moose Club and spending time with visiting family.

Alice loved to laugh and have fun and had a great sense of humor. She took great delight in a good game of Euchre and could be counted on to stay a bit longer if a deck of cards was nearby. You could count on her to keep everyone focused on the game from her remark: "Are we going to talk or we going to play cards?" She was incredibly proud of her Irish heritage, was very giving and caring, strong, and fiercely independent, and one of the hardest workers around. However, there was nothing she loved more than her family, gathering for any occasion, having family close, stepping up to the plate and doing anything she could for anyone when they needed it. If it were a holiday or a family member's birthday, it was expected to take place at Alice's house. Her cooking was well-known, and everyone knew to be first in line for her famous fried chicken. Her children recall fond memories of coming home to the wonderful smell of her delicious home-baked bread. The family had an inside joke to "Make a reservation at Alice's Restaurant."

Alice loved taking care of her prized flowers and took special interest in her beautiful roses and red geraniums. She also loved The Lord and was faithful to attending Mass at St. Ludmila's. Her Christian path was clear, and she wanted others to join her in celebrating that faith. She showed everyone by example by living her life with selfless devotion and service to her family and friends.

She is survived by her daughters, Judy (Jerry) Nicholls of Solon and Joan Chalupsky of Shueyville; her sons Kenny Johnson and Dan (Pat) Johnson, both of Shueyville and Don Johnson of Walford; her daughter-in-law, Becky Johnson of Cedar Rapids; 15 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; her brother, Jimmy (Ilene) Dougherty of Waukon; her sister-in-law, Rita Dougherty of Waukon; as well as her nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband; son, Ed Johnson; daughters-in-law, Sherry Johnson and Linda Johnson; son-in-law, Jim Chalupsky, and her siblings, Donald Dougherty, John Dougherty, Mary (Mark) Wagner, Lela (John) Urell, Joe (Jean) Dougherty, and Helen (Mark) Kelley.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com