Shirley Johnson

Hills, MN Shirley Johnson, age 67 of Hills, MN, formerly of George, IA died Sunday, April 27, 2008 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Memorial service will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, May 3rd at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in George, IA, with Rev. Paul Fischer officiating. Inurnment will be at Evergreen Lawn Cemetery in George following the service. Visitation will be Friday, May 2nd from 2:00 " 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 " 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of George, IA. Shirley Johnson was born March 7, 1941 to Roy and Hattie (Bruinsma) Bechler in George, IA. She received her education at the George Community School. On October 20, 1961 she was united in marriage to Gerald Johnson in Worthington, MN. She and her husband traveled and lived in various places due to his military career in the Air Force. Shirley enjoyed new places and living in different communities during that time of their lives. Later in her life she worked at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in George and for the last several years she lived in Hills, MN where she worked at Tuff Village Assisted Living. Her family was the joy of her life. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. Shirleys family will remember her as a loving and generous person, always putting others before herself. Her willingness to share of herself extended to those outside her family as well. Working with the elderly in George and Hills was a good fit for her. The love she shared during the course of her work day touched many and she will be greatly missed. Even during the times she was in the hospital receiving chemo her thoughts, prayers and support were shared with the patients that were going through the same trials as she was. Shirley was a collector of many things. Among them were music boxes, jewelry and her house plants. She was very fond of her two dogs, Precious and Harley. The devotion and love they had for Shirley was a wonderful thing and undoubtedly they too will miss her. This past Sunday, April 27th, Shirley Johnson died after a short battle with cancer at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Grateful for having shared her life are daughter, Kimberly (Rodney) Hanson and their children Taylor and Hunter of Crooks, SD; son, Joseph (Kiana) Johnson and their children Alivia, Samuel and Sutton of Primghar, IA; brother, Jim (Carol) Bechler of Hutchinson, KS; sisters, Evelyn (Roger) Klaahsen of Hull, IA, LaVonne (Lynn) Kramer of Westport, CT, and Marilyn (Jerry) Steinhoefel of Omaha, NE; many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Hattie Bechler and her step-mother, Marie Bechler.