Obituary for Mary Ann (Kruthoff) Johnson
Mary Ann Johnson, of Watertown, SD passed away April 3, 2021 at Country View Assisted Living in Florence.
Funeral services will be open to the public at 2:00 pm, Thursday, April 8, 2021 with visitation one hour prior to the service at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown. Jim Shroll will officiate.
A recording of Mary's service can be viewed on the website.
Masks are required for anyone attending.
Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Pallbearers will be Mary's sons, Bill, Ken and Steve Johnson, her nephew, Gary Jongeling, her great grandson, Konnor Mark and her grandson-in-law, Jason Mark.
On November 21, 1931, in the big square house of her grandparents, near Raymond South Dakota, little Mary Ann was born to Ella (Kolln) and Earl Kruthoff. She spent her early years on the farm in the Raymond area, and later moved with her parents to a farm near South Shore where she rode a horse to the country school. They went to the Bergen Lutheran Church which was near the farm. Pastor Eng would come every other week and deliver a two hour sermon. Mary went through confirmation classes three times until there were finally enough young people to hold a confirmation ceremony.
While growing up she would help her dad by operating a dump rake during haying time. She had blond hair and fair skin, and before she went out to work in the hot sun her mother made her put a lot of powder on so she would not burn and get so dark.
During high school days, Mary stayed with her aunt and uncle, Annie and Gordon Falvey, in Watertown. She attended school there, and worked in the grocery section of Gambles store.
The day Glenn first went out to meet Mary's parents they played canasta and spoons. Mary's dad was very favorably impressed with Glenn.
Then, on a gorgeous autumn day, October 2nd, 1949, Mary and Glenn were united in marriage. They went to live with Glenn's parents for a time, and Mary kept house there and took care of her mother-in-law who was crippled from arthritis.
Over a period of 10 years, five little towheaded boys were born. You can imagine what a lively household that must have been! Good times were spent with the cousins, and Mary was much loved by her nieces and nephews.
During the war years, Mary's mother and aunts had taught her to sew, using feed sacks. Mary became an expert seamstress, and after she was married she had quite a sewing business in her home. She knew how to tailor, and customers came by word of mouth.
As the boys got a little older, Mary worked in the meat department at Spies. Later she drove bus for ICAP, and became the first manager of the nutrition site in Watertown until her retirement.
Mary loved her children fiercely, so much that in 1972 she donated a kidney to her son, Doug. Sadly, peritonitis set in, and Doug passed away on May 2nd, 1972.
Together Mary and Glenn were active in cross country skiing, and in archery club, where they won many trophies. They were avid campers, and did a great deal of camping with friends. Mary is known as the tornado lady. She was getting a permanent in a beauty salon when a tornado started coming along the river. Everyone was told to shelter in the hall, but Mary said no! Just give me the solution to take with me. I can finish it. I'm going home! And she did!
Mary was a great cook and liked to try new recipes. When friends of her boys would turn up, they were always welcome to pull up a chair at her table. She said, “You can always just put a little more water in the soup to make it go around!”
Once when a guest broke a fancy glass, she said, “People are more important than things!”
Mary had an eye for beauty. She liked to have her nails polished, her hair done, pretty jewelry, and that pretty scarf around her neck. She made special meals even more special by setting a pretty table, usually with her Blue Willow china. And then there were her sketches and paintings. She could spot beauty to put on paper, and she did it beautifully.
Easter was a special time for the Johnson family. On Friday or Saturday Mary would boil many eggs, and her family, young and old alike, would gather around to decorate the eggs. And then there would be the family gathering for a special meal on Easter Sunday, and kite flying afterward.
Mary and Glenn celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary while in the hospital fighting COVID. Though they were probably counted as some of the recovered, the effects lingered. After 3 more hospitalizations she had run out of good options for getting better. She chose to go into hospice care. She announced, “I have made a decision. I am leaving the planet. But I'm not dead yet. I want to talk to some people, and I want to sketch and paint.”
She went back to Country View Assisted Living in Florence, where she was cared for lovingly. Her days were filled by talking to many people she loved. She expressed the fact that she was very anxious to once again see those who had gone before her. She wanted especially to see Glenn, Doug, her parents, Glenn's parents, and her granddaughter Amber Johnson. On April 3, 2021, she was reunited with them all for an Easter reunion! She had reached the age of 89 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Mary is survived by four sons, David (Joanne) of Watertown, SD, Bill (Mary) of Newton, KS, Ken (Jeanne) of Bangor, WI, and Steve (Donna) of Watertown, SD; one sister, Jackie (Tom) Baxter of Watertown, SD; 8 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Phyllis Jongeling of Watertown, SD, one brother-in-law, Harold Johnson of Carson City, NV; and her nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel, www.wightandcomes.com
Funeral services will be open to the public at 2:00 pm, Thursday, April 8, 2021 with visitation one hour prior to the service at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown. Jim Shroll will officiate.
A recording of Mary's service can be viewed on the website.
Masks are required for anyone attending.
Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Pallbearers will be Mary's sons, Bill, Ken and Steve Johnson, her nephew, Gary Jongeling, her great grandson, Konnor Mark and her grandson-in-law, Jason Mark.
On November 21, 1931, in the big square house of her grandparents, near Raymond South Dakota, little Mary Ann was born to Ella (Kolln) and Earl Kruthoff. She spent her early years on the farm in the Raymond area, and later moved with her parents to a farm near South Shore where she rode a horse to the country school. They went to the Bergen Lutheran Church which was near the farm. Pastor Eng would come every other week and deliver a two hour sermon. Mary went through confirmation classes three times until there were finally enough young people to hold a confirmation ceremony.
While growing up she would help her dad by operating a dump rake during haying time. She had blond hair and fair skin, and before she went out to work in the hot sun her mother made her put a lot of powder on so she would not burn and get so dark.
During high school days, Mary stayed with her aunt and uncle, Annie and Gordon Falvey, in Watertown. She attended school there, and worked in the grocery section of Gambles store.
The day Glenn first went out to meet Mary's parents they played canasta and spoons. Mary's dad was very favorably impressed with Glenn.
Then, on a gorgeous autumn day, October 2nd, 1949, Mary and Glenn were united in marriage. They went to live with Glenn's parents for a time, and Mary kept house there and took care of her mother-in-law who was crippled from arthritis.
Over a period of 10 years, five little towheaded boys were born. You can imagine what a lively household that must have been! Good times were spent with the cousins, and Mary was much loved by her nieces and nephews.
During the war years, Mary's mother and aunts had taught her to sew, using feed sacks. Mary became an expert seamstress, and after she was married she had quite a sewing business in her home. She knew how to tailor, and customers came by word of mouth.
As the boys got a little older, Mary worked in the meat department at Spies. Later she drove bus for ICAP, and became the first manager of the nutrition site in Watertown until her retirement.
Mary loved her children fiercely, so much that in 1972 she donated a kidney to her son, Doug. Sadly, peritonitis set in, and Doug passed away on May 2nd, 1972.
Together Mary and Glenn were active in cross country skiing, and in archery club, where they won many trophies. They were avid campers, and did a great deal of camping with friends. Mary is known as the tornado lady. She was getting a permanent in a beauty salon when a tornado started coming along the river. Everyone was told to shelter in the hall, but Mary said no! Just give me the solution to take with me. I can finish it. I'm going home! And she did!
Mary was a great cook and liked to try new recipes. When friends of her boys would turn up, they were always welcome to pull up a chair at her table. She said, “You can always just put a little more water in the soup to make it go around!”
Once when a guest broke a fancy glass, she said, “People are more important than things!”
Mary had an eye for beauty. She liked to have her nails polished, her hair done, pretty jewelry, and that pretty scarf around her neck. She made special meals even more special by setting a pretty table, usually with her Blue Willow china. And then there were her sketches and paintings. She could spot beauty to put on paper, and she did it beautifully.
Easter was a special time for the Johnson family. On Friday or Saturday Mary would boil many eggs, and her family, young and old alike, would gather around to decorate the eggs. And then there would be the family gathering for a special meal on Easter Sunday, and kite flying afterward.
Mary and Glenn celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary while in the hospital fighting COVID. Though they were probably counted as some of the recovered, the effects lingered. After 3 more hospitalizations she had run out of good options for getting better. She chose to go into hospice care. She announced, “I have made a decision. I am leaving the planet. But I'm not dead yet. I want to talk to some people, and I want to sketch and paint.”
She went back to Country View Assisted Living in Florence, where she was cared for lovingly. Her days were filled by talking to many people she loved. She expressed the fact that she was very anxious to once again see those who had gone before her. She wanted especially to see Glenn, Doug, her parents, Glenn's parents, and her granddaughter Amber Johnson. On April 3, 2021, she was reunited with them all for an Easter reunion! She had reached the age of 89 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Mary is survived by four sons, David (Joanne) of Watertown, SD, Bill (Mary) of Newton, KS, Ken (Jeanne) of Bangor, WI, and Steve (Donna) of Watertown, SD; one sister, Jackie (Tom) Baxter of Watertown, SD; 8 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Phyllis Jongeling of Watertown, SD, one brother-in-law, Harold Johnson of Carson City, NV; and her nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel, www.wightandcomes.com