Marian Johnson

Marian LaVonne Knudsen was born November 3, 1928, the daughter of Alfred Lauritz and Bertha Elizabeth (Thygesen) Knudsen in Audubon County, Iowa, and passed away Sunday, June 27, 2010, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Marian spent her childhood in Audubon County. She was baptized December 9, 1928, at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, confirmed on April18, 1943, at the Exira Lutheran Church, and graduated from the Exira High School in 1947.

On September 16, 1947, she married Howard Cecil Johnson at the Exira Lutheran Church. The couple then moved to a farm south of Anita.

Marian was a hard worker, helping Howard on the farm while keeping the house and raising Linda and Mike. She also worked for over 20 years registering campers at the Lake Anita State Park.

She was an active member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church and the American Legion Auxiliary, and a volunteer for Red Cross Blooddrives.

Howard and Marian were blessed to have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They enjoyed attending farm sales together, always on the look out for a pretty dish for Marian.

Marian loved to cook and made the best kringle and potato salad. She enjoyed feeding the neighbors when they would help Howard make hay or shell corn. Many hours were spent playing cards with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, other family members and friends. Winning or losing was never important, spending time together was.

Survivors include her children, Linda (James) Fehl of Norwalk, Iowa, and Michael (Melissa) Johnson of Anita, Iowa; her grandchildren, Matthew (Deb) Fehl of Liberty, Missouri, Nathan (Hailey) Fehl of Indianola, Iowa, Mary Ann (Phillip) Netznik of Fox Lake, Illinois, Molly Johnson of Lakewood, Colorado, and Paul (Leah) Johnson of Manhattan, Kansas; her great-grandchildren, Alexis, Peyton, Cameron and Nick Fehl and Nora and Henry Netznik; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Bertha Knudsen and her husband, Howard Johnson.

A visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 1, 2010, at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Anita.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 2, 2010, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Anita.

The committal will take place in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita.

Lunch will be served at the Anita American Legion Hall following the committal.

Hockenberry Family Care in Anita, Iowa, is in charge of arrangements.