Mattie A. Johnson

George, IA Mattie Johnson, age 94 of George, IA died Monday, May 7, 2007 at the Good Samaritan Center in George, IA. Services will be 11:00 AM, Thursday, May 10th at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church of George, IA, with Rev. Rick Johnson officiating. Burial will be Thursday morning, prior to the service, with family and friends gathering at the Roste Funeral Home of George at 9:00 AM and processing to the Evergreen Lawn Cemetery of George, IA. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 9th from 2 " 8 PM, with the family present from 6 " 8 PM at the Roste Funeral Home of George. Mattie A. Johnson was born December 31, 1912 in Deuel County, rural Toronto, South Dakota to Albert and Bertha (Bruns) Kannegieter. Mattie grew up on the family farm and attended Willow Lake Schools through the 12th grade. She continued her education to become a teacher and graduated from the teachers college in Madison SD. She taught at the Willow Lake country school in South Dakota before moving in 1934, to the Little Rock, IA area where she continued teaching. She had high teaching standards and was known as an excellent teacher. Mattie enjoyed feeding her mind throughout her lifetime and was an avid reader. She especially enjoyed reading biographies and subjects of history. Mattie Kannegieter married Clifford Johnson at the family farm in rural George, IA on August 2nd, 1947. She and her new husband moved to Geneva, IL where Clifford worked as a chemical engineer at a chemical plant and Mattie took a job at The Village Inn Rice plant. To this union was born two sons; Robert and Gary. She later worked at the Mooseheart Childrens Home as a purchasing agent, but spent the majority of her work life in Geneva at the Illinois Employee Benefits Corporation as a receivables clerk. In 1964 Matties husband Clifford passed away, but she remained in Geneva until 1986 at which time she retired and returned to Iowa and settled once again in George. She was a member of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in George for many years where she served in the church circle and the womens club. Mattie loved antiques. She loved to go to swap meets and hunt for pieces she could add to her collection, some of which she would display as is and others she would have restored or refinished to her liking. She also rarely missed a day of the newspaper crossword puzzles, something she enjoyed and still did within a month of her death. On April 20th, 2007 Mattie became a resident at the Good Samaritan Center in George where she passed on May 7, 2007 at the age of 94. Mattie Johnson is survived by her sons, Robert and his special friend Teresa of Mountain Home Idaho, and Gary of George; her grandchildren include, Jennifer, Tyler, Clint, Leah, Haley and Gary; great grandchildren, Jett and Samantha; her sister, Agnes Kruse of George; brother, Delbert and his wife Gladys Kannegieter of George; sister, Marvel and her husband Ronald Blum of George; brother, Robert and his wife Marlene of George; sister, Wanda Koger of George; and many nieces and nephews. Mattie was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Bertha Kannegieter; her husband of 17 years, Clifford Johnson; a brother, Henry Kannegieter; and a sister, Delores Colwell.