Ethel Eleanor Johnson, daughter of Ernest and Gladys Crowell Nelson, was born December 18, 1927, at Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was baptized April 25, 1943 at the Linden United Methodist Church in Waterloo. She received her education at East High School in Waterloo.
Ethel was united in marriage with Elmer D. Johnson on November 8, 1948 in Lancaster, Missouri. She had worked at Chamberlain Manufacturing in Waterloo, assisted her husband on the family farm, worked at Moeller’s and Snyder’s Taverns in Sumner, and most recently, was employed at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner.
Her death occurred on Monday, August 31, 2009, at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, following a brief illness. She was 81 years old and a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sumner.
Ethel is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Becky Johnson of Sumner; two daughters and sons-in-law, Donna and Michael Roche of Fredericksburg, Texas; and Betty and William Musgrave of Solon, Iowa; three grandchildren, Tiffany (Seth) Landuyt, Kayla (Ryan) Tucker; and Casey Musgrave; three great grandchildren, Ian and Sienna Landuyt, and Colby Tucker; and one brother, Claude James Nelson of Cedar Falls.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer, who died September 5, 1999; her parents and step father, Freace Heichel; and one brother, Richard.
Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 4, 2009, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. George Volkert officiating. Friends may call from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, September 3, 2009, at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and for one preceding services at the church on Friday. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m., Friday, September 4, 2009, at Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens in Cedar Falls.
