JoAnna A. Johnson, age 79 of Yankton passed away on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at the Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton. Funeral service will be 11:00 AM, Friday, January 22, 2010 at First United Methodist Church, Yankton, with Rev. Dean Trapp officiating. Burial will be in Yankton Cemetery. Visitation will begin 2 hours prior to the service at the church on Friday. Pallbearers will be Joe Johnson, Eric Fink, Ryan Clark and Brien Johnson. Honorary pallbearers will be John Johnson, Dean Johnson, Jake Johnson, Amy Clark, Marta Fink and Katie Johnson. Arrangements are in care of Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton.
JoAnna was born Sunday, October 12, 1930 in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Peter and Mae (Johnson) Von Bank. JoAnna married Tod Johnson on July 1, 1949 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. They made their home there until 1973 when they moved to Norfolk, Nebraska.
JoAnna was a strong woman who knew how to grab her boot straps. After dropping out of high school her senior year, she went back to school and obtained her GED and graduated the same year as her daughter in 1973. She then went on to Norfolk Junior college where she took bookkeeping and secretarial classes. JoAnna worked for many years at Dale Electronics of Norfolk in payroll. She later was a dorm mother to one of Norfolk Junior College's dormatories until retiring to Yankton with her husband.
Over the years JoAnna served her church, Riverside Methodist in Iowa, as a fellowship leader and assisted with communions. She is best known for her wit and humor. JoAnna or JoJo as her friends from the Riverfront Section of Sister James Care Center called her kept everyone in smiles and stitches with her jokes, stories and humor. She loved life no matter what was tossed her way. Ten years ago she showed all of us that even a stroke could not stop her.
JoAnna is survived by her children and their families: Tim and Lisa Johnson and children: John, Dean, Lisa, Katie and Jake of Shenendoah, IA, Frank Johnson and children: Brien, Brandy and Brayden of Kearney, MO, Julie Johnson and children: Eric, Sara and Marta of Brandon, SD and Paul and Jenny Johnson and children: Amy and Ryan Clark and Joe Johnson of Lincoln, NE.
She was preceded in death by her husband Tod, parents, 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
