Maureen K. Johnson

Maureen Johnson passed away Tuesday, April 22, 2014, after a prolonged battle with ALS. She was born March 16, 1939 to Ellsworth (Al) and Lorraine Larson in southern Minnesota. She is survived by her loving husband Sid of the home, son Bryce and his wife Tracy of Granbury, TX, and grandson Blake of Grapevine, TX, and by two brothers and a sister in Minnesota.

She graduated high school in Litchfield, MN (LHS) where she met Sid. After graduation from LHS, Maureen attended nurses training and worked as a “Para” Psych nurse at Glenwood Hills Hospital in Golden Valley, MN until she married Sid, May 9, 1959. She also worked at General Mills as a statistician, tabulating taste testing results for their new products. In 1963, son Bryce was born and she became a full time homemaker, and has been ever since that time.

Sid and Maureen moved to Owatonna, MN in 1963 and lived there for 12 years before moving to McPherson, KS. They retired in 2002 and lived summers in KS and the winters in Mesa, AZ enjoying the weather, friends, dancing and tennis. Maureen enjoyed playing tennis with friends and in league play. They had a wonderful time in retirement years.

Maureen loved volunteer work. She was a life time member of the McPherson Auxiliary, spending thirteen happy years working in the Nifty Thrifty Shop. She served on the Red Cross Board and volunteered at the Bloodmobile. Her favorite “job” was volunteering at Save and Share for many years. She was a very efficient knitter and she completed many Prayer Shawls for First United Methodist Church. Maureen loved finding different colors and patterns for her shawls. In 1997 Maureen and Sid sang with the Bethany Oratorio Society in Carnegie Hall as they performed The Messiah.

She really enjoyed cooking and baking, especially Sid’s Mom’s whole wheat raisin bread, which she shared with friends and neighbors. She also found satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from gardening, Sudoku and reading. A real sports fan, she loved to watch the KC Royals, and K-State and Minnesota Vikings football.

She was witty and had a wonderful sense of humor.

The memorial service will be at 11:00 AM, Friday, April 25, 2014, at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Quentin Bennett officiating. A private graveside service will precede the service at the McPherson Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Thursday, April 24, at Stockham Family Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to First United Methodist Church, McPherson Public Library, or McPherson Opera House in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Maureen K. Johnson please visit our Sympathy Store.