Joanne Marie Johnson, 84
Joanne Marie (Mohr) Johnson, 84, of Ava, died peacefully at her home, on Sept. 7, 2024.
Joanne was born on July 27, 1940, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Frank and Helen Mohr. She graduated from Ritenour High in St. John, Saint Louis County in 1958.
On July 5, 1961, she married the love of her life, James Edward Johnson, in Centerville, Illinois. Their love and loyalty to each other were unwavering throughout their lives. Together, they raised two sons, James Bryan Johnson and Jerry Alan Johnson.
Joanne was known for her boundless kindness and warm personality—she never met a stranger. She shared a passion for travel with James, and their adventures were a source of fond memories that she could recall with perfect clarity. One of their proudest ventures was Chapel Grove, a business they owned and loved.
Joanne also had a love for bingo, slot machines and cherished her special trip to Las Vegas with her granddaughter, Jessica. She was a lover of life’s simple pleasures including her Café Vienna coffee, orange slices, crochet and her favorite movies. A true movie enthusiast, she could easily recall details about films and actors. Joanne also had a cherished collection of porcelain dolls and took great joy in decorating with her Christmas Village during the holidays, always putting up lights on the porch to match each season—thoughtful and caring to the last. Before her health declined, Joanne loved playing weekly bingo and worked at Ava Place.
Joanne is survived by her son Jerry; her sisters: Lynda, Margo and Frances; her grandchildren: Jessica White and husband Jacob, Rebecca Gosdin and husband Cayce, Tonya Virtue and Justin Eller; great-grandchildren: Jacob, Addison, Lincoln and many others; her special caregiver and daughter-at-heart: Shannon and her family, Logan, Erick, Xander, Kaytyn and Nova; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of dear family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband James, who died in 1998; her son James Bryan Johnson, who died in 2021; her parents Frank and Helen Mohr; her brother Frank Mohr III; and many dear friends and family members throughout the years.