Jean E. Johnson

Jean Elizabeth Erickson Johnson, 90, of Rock Island, Il, died, Sunday, September 24, 2017, at Unity Point Health, Trinity Rock Island.

Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, September 26, 2017, at First Covenant Church, 3303-41 Street Moline.  Visitation will be noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the church.  Esterdahl Mortuary and Crematory Ltd. is in charge of her arrengemnets.

Memorials may be made to Friendship Manor or First Covenant Church.

Jean was born on July 7, 1927 in Moline, IL to Erick G. Erickson and Florence Strandell Erickson. She was raised in Moline and graduated from Moline Senior High School in 1945.  She then attended and graduated from Illinois Normal University, which is now Illinois State University with a B.S. of Education degree in elementary education.  Then she started a 25 year career as a teacher in Moline, Cedar Rapids, IA, Rock Island, and Colona, IL.

On June 7, 1952 she married Eugene Einar Johnson of Moline at First Covenant Church in Moline.

After marriage and during the raising of their children, she taught first grade for eight years at Garfield School in Moline.

She was then asked to come to Colona, IL to order all the equipment for the two new kindergarten rooms that were being built. She stayed and taught for twelve years until retiring in 1982.

She was also active in her church, serving as Primary Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, Youth leader, was on the Board of Christian Education and sang in the choir for many years.  She was a member of the Margaret Bottome McGee Kings Daughter and Sons Circle.

She and her husband were the parents of four children- Kristine, Joyce, Craig, and Phillip.

Surviving are Joyce (Gregory) Short of Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, Craig (Marcia) Johnson of Bettendorf, Iowa.  Four grandchildren:  Amy Short Jones (Bryan Jones) of Larsen, Wisconsin, Erick (Missy) Short of DePere, Wisconsin, Kirsten Johnson (Emanuel Mendes) of Davenport, Iowa, Bryce Johnson of Waterloo, Iowa, and seven great grandchildren:  Ava, Matthew, and Joseph Shepherd and Evan Jones, Luke, Charlie, and Max Short, a brother, Paul Erickson (Carol) of Moline, a sister-in-law, Lavanna Johnson of Rock Island, IL, several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene in 2005, daughter Kristine at birth, son Phillip at 14 months, her parents and a dear friend, George Dean Atteberry in 2011.

Memories may be shared online by visiting esterdahl.com.