Leila Johnson

Ashton, IA       Leila Johnson age 78 of Ashton, IA died Saturday, February 17, 2018 at Sibley Specialty Care in Sibley, IA.       Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at First Reformed Church in Sheldon, IA with Rev. Dave Van Kley, officiating.       Prayer service for family and friends will be held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 21st at the Legion Hall in Ashton, IA.  Interment will follow the prayer service in the Gilman Township Cemetery at Ashton, IA.       Visitation will be Tuesday, February 20th from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. with family present from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Legion Hall in Ashton, IA.      Leila (Monkemeier) Johnson was born March 3, 1939 in Ashton, IA the daughter of Raymond and Marie (Trei) Monkemeier.  Her family moved to Melvin, IA when she was in 2nd grade and she graduated from Melvin High School.  After graduation she attended Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls, IA and earned a teaching certificate.  Later she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA.  Leila was united in marriage to Howard Johnson on August 11, 1961 at First Presbyterian Church of Sibley.  They made their home on a farm west of Ashton, IA.  She taught in kindergarten until the birth of their children Jodi and Kirk.  After that she was a substitute teacher in Sheldon and surrounding communities.  Her career in education led her to positions in leadership with Delta Kappa Gamma.  Leila was an active member of Bethel Reformed Church.  She organized many children's music activities and women's events over the years.  Leila enjoyed singing with the Allegro Club for many years.  Later she was active with the Civic Music Association and promoted their concerts.  4-H was another area where she volunteered her time as a leader and later a judge.  She also judged for the Iowa High School Speech Association.  Her hobbies at home included keeping photo albums, knitting, and lots of baking.  In 2001, Howard retired and they built a home in Ashton.  In retirement, Howard and Leila traveled on bus tours around the country.  Time spent with grandchildren was very precious to her.  Hosting them gave her a chance to share her love through games, crafts, stories, music and food.  Since July,  Leila was a resident of the Sibley Specialty Care Center where she died this past Saturday morning at the age of seventy-eight.       Leila is survived by her husband, Howard, of Ashton, IA; daughter, Jodi Siebrecht, and her husband, David of Sheldon, IA; son, Kirk Johnson and his wife Shana (Warner) of Des Moines, IA; five grandchildren, Sara and Keri Siebrecht of Sheldon, IA; Ashton, Pryce and Sage Johnson of Des Moines, IA; along with her sister, Marlene Frey of Spencer, IA and her brother, Rolland Monkemeier of Sibley, IA.      She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Marie, and her brother-in-law, Franklyn Frey.