Joan Johnson

Joan Johnson, 84, of Marcus, Iowa passed away on Saturday, August 6, 2022, at the Heartland Care Center in Marcus. Funeral services will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at Faith Lutheran Church in Marcus, Iowa. Rev. Liz Pfeifle will officiate. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Cherokee, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at the Earnest – Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus. The family will be present to greet friends from 4-6 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the service on Thursday.

Joan Marie Johnson was born on July 13, 1938, in Storm Lake, Iowa, the daughter of Edmund and Clara (Drayer) Otto. She attended school in Cherokee and later graduated from Aurelia High School in 1957. Following high school, Jo worked as a telephone operator.

On October 27, 1957, Jo and Harry Lee “Corky” Johnson were united in marriage at Aurelia. They made their home in Michigan for a few years before returning to the area in 1962. Jo and Corky represented Golden Sun Feeds before opening a service station. They later opened a small engine repair and gas station called Corky’s Corner where Jo did the bookkeeping. She also cleaned offices with Sue Petersen.

Jo was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Marcus. She was active in the ELCA and assisted with funeral lunches. Jo often assisted others through the Share Program and by driving them to appointments. She volunteered at Heartland Care Center and the Food Pantry. She looked forward to a monthly dinner with her cousins in Cherokee. She also liked assembling puzzles and completing puzzle books.

She will be lovingly remembered by her children, Lee Johnson of Sibley, IA, Keith (Ronda) Johnson of Sheldon, IA and Tammy (Mark) Schilmoeller of Remsen, IA; grandchildren, Jennifer Johnson of Cherokee, IA, Sally Johnson of Sioux City, IA, Tony (Melissa) Johnson of Maurice, IA, Brian (Ashley) Johnson of Sibley, IA, Luke Johnson of Newell, IA, Naomi Johnson of Orange City, IA, Kayla (Alex) Koenig of Marengo, IA and Rachel Schilmoeller of Le Mars, IA; 10 great-grandchildren; her step-mother, Dorothy Otto of Slayton, MN; a brother, Jerry (Mary) Otto of Alexandria, MN; and a sister-in-law, Lois Otto of Eagle Grove, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Corky on January 10, 2002; a daughter-in-law, Sandy Johnson; great-granddaughter, Zarah Johnson; and a brother, Bill Otto.