Joan Kae Johnson was born on May 16, 1935.  Her declining health in the last few months lead to her passing on Monday, March 4, 2024, in Cox South Hospital at the age of 88.

She was born in Garrison, Iowa, the third of four daughters to Leland and Miriam Pieper (Pippert). She loved and talked often about growing up on the family farm and helping her father tend to the livestock and crops. Her family always said, "You can take the girl off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the girl" and even in her later years she was living proof of this and could be found staying active by working outside, even mowing her own lawn up until the age of 87.

After graduating from Dysart High School in Dysart, Iowa where she played women's basketball, she attended Iowa State University for a time.

Eventually she went on to live and work in Des Moines, Iowa where she met Donald (Don) Johnson.  They were married in 1956, relocated to Springfield, MO in 1964 with their 3 children and celebrated 50 years of marriage before his passing in 2006.

She was a stay-at-home mom for many years after which she worked in department store retail before working the end of her career and retiring from Springfield Office Supply in her mid-sixties.

Other hobbies included watching her favorite pro golfers on tv, playing sudoku, and spending time with family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Donald (Don), older sister Carol Seebach, twin sister Jean Wright, and daughter-in-law June Johnson.

She is survived by her three children, Mark Johnson, Terri Eftink and husband Ivan, and David Johnson, granddaughters Victoria and Alexandria Johnson, all of Springfield; grandson Justin Kyle Dillon, wife Cyni and great grandson Tiller, Riverview, Florida; sister Mary Kinsey, Tyler, Texas; brother-in-law Robert Johnson, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews.

A private family service is planned for a later date.