Lola Johnson

Lola Johnson, 87 of Westside, died at Westhaven Hospice in Boone, Iowa Tuesday, March 19th 2013 surrounded by her loving family. The funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday March 23 at St. Anns Church in Vail with Father Remis officiating. Friends may call from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Huebner Funeral Home in Westside where there will be a rosary at 4:30 p.m. and a prayer service at 5:00 p.m. Serving as pallbearers will be Mathew and Patrick Johnson, Pam Swanson, Corey Bowers, Jessica Danzer and Ryan Bowers.

Lola Johnson, daughter of Nick and Florentine (Arens) Mai, was born on January 5, 1926 on a farm near Remsen. She received her early education at a country school and graduated with the class of 1943 from St. Marys, Remsen. After high school, Lola moved to Los Angeles, California to join her sister who had already moved there along with an aunt and uncle. WW II was on and she joined the many people who had moved there to support the war effort. Her future husband, Walt Johnson, had enlisted and was at Camp Pendleton in the U.S. Marine Corp before he was in combat at Iwo Jima. As Walt recovered from his war time injuries, they were married at Great Lakes Naval Base in Chicago Illinois, on June 9th, 1945.

The couple lived in LeMars, as well as Remsen where Walt taught school. During the early years of their marriage, Lola had their first 6 children. She also became sick with tuberculosis, spending several years on and off at Oakdale Sanatorium in Iowa City. In 1957, with a job opportunity in banking, the family moved to Westside where 3 more children were born.

Lola was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Lolas hobbies included sewing, knitting and card playing. She enjoyed fishing with her husband, children and grandchildren at Kendalls Island in Canada. Lola and her husband of 61 years loved to ballroom dance and she always looked forward to bowling whether on a mixed league or her womens league. For many years Walt and Lola enjoyed watching football, attending Iowa State games as season ticket holders. When time allowed she and Walt loved to travel; whether it was to Europe or Hawaii as a couple, to California or National Parks on a family vacation or visiting one of her childrens family around the country. Lola was a member of St. Anns parish.

Lola is survived by her children: Tom; Karen and her husband Gary; Russ and his wife Donna; Diane and her husband Mark; Paul and his wife Gail; and Joan and husband Tom. There are 16 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sister, Edna; brother-in-law, Dick and his wife Mary; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended relatives and many friends.

Lola was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Walt, in 2007; daughter, Karen Mai Johnson in infancy; sons, Ron Johnson and Mike Johnson; her brothers, Don Mai and his wife, Eta; and Glen Mai and his wife, Margaret.