1926
Lavona
2008
Lavona Johnson
March 25, 1926 — November 15, 2008
Lavona M. Johnson, 82, of Freeport, formerly of Libertyville, IL, died November 15, 2008 in Freeport, IL.
She was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, ELCA, of Freeport. Pastor Mark Luepke will conduct the funeral service at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. 6601-38th Ave., Moline on Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at the Edgington Cemetery, Edgington, IL.
Lavona M. Johnson was born March 25, 1926 in Marston, IL to George and Geneva (Eckhardt) Johnson. In 1943, Lavona graduated from Reynolds High School, continued her education at Western Illinois University, majoring in English with minors in music and art, earning her degree in 1947.
She began her teaching career at Atkinson High School in 1947, teaching there through the spring of 1955. In August of 1955, she received her Masters Degree from the University of Illinois. The 1955, 1956 school year found her at Park Ridge, Illinois, teaching at Lincoln Junior High School. She returned to the Quad-City area in the fall of 1956 to begin teaching at United Township High School in East Moline, continuing through the spring of 1963. In the fall of '63, Lavona was a part of the faculty of Mundelein High School, Mundelein, Illinois, teaching English and writing classes until the end of the first semester of the 1983-84 school year. There had been 36 ? years of teaching, many years of more graduate courses at the University of Iowa, Northern Illinois University, and Northwestern. Education was a big part of her life. She loved teaching and learning. She particularly loved being a second Mother to Amy and Karl and a Grandma to Farah, Ariana, and Mina Mae, and being the teacher she always was, she loved to observe their learning styles and creativity and to teach them how to write. She, herself, was always writing---poems, essays, short stories, and journals.
Her professional organizations were AAUW (American Association of Women) and Delta Kappa Gamma (a 50 year member).
Lavona is survived by
Sister Geneva ( Sam) Nelson Aledo
and their children Dennis, Laura, Kathy and Sammy
Aunts Mary Sackville Aledo
Helen Eckhardt Edgington
"Adopted " family Dale & Judy Schimpf
Al & Amy (Schimpf) Tolu-Honary
and daughters Farah, Ariana and Mina Mae, all of Freeport, IL
Karl Schimpf and fianc?e, Jessica Johnston Coralville, IA
She was preceded in death by her two brothers, Harold Wayne and Derrill Johnson.
Online condolences may be expressed to Lavona's family by visiting her obituary at
www.esterdahlmortuary.com
She was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, ELCA, of Freeport. Pastor Mark Luepke will conduct the funeral service at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. 6601-38th Ave., Moline on Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at the Edgington Cemetery, Edgington, IL.
Lavona M. Johnson was born March 25, 1926 in Marston, IL to George and Geneva (Eckhardt) Johnson. In 1943, Lavona graduated from Reynolds High School, continued her education at Western Illinois University, majoring in English with minors in music and art, earning her degree in 1947.
She began her teaching career at Atkinson High School in 1947, teaching there through the spring of 1955. In August of 1955, she received her Masters Degree from the University of Illinois. The 1955, 1956 school year found her at Park Ridge, Illinois, teaching at Lincoln Junior High School. She returned to the Quad-City area in the fall of 1956 to begin teaching at United Township High School in East Moline, continuing through the spring of 1963. In the fall of '63, Lavona was a part of the faculty of Mundelein High School, Mundelein, Illinois, teaching English and writing classes until the end of the first semester of the 1983-84 school year. There had been 36 ? years of teaching, many years of more graduate courses at the University of Iowa, Northern Illinois University, and Northwestern. Education was a big part of her life. She loved teaching and learning. She particularly loved being a second Mother to Amy and Karl and a Grandma to Farah, Ariana, and Mina Mae, and being the teacher she always was, she loved to observe their learning styles and creativity and to teach them how to write. She, herself, was always writing---poems, essays, short stories, and journals.
Her professional organizations were AAUW (American Association of Women) and Delta Kappa Gamma (a 50 year member).
Lavona is survived by
Sister Geneva ( Sam) Nelson Aledo
and their children Dennis, Laura, Kathy and Sammy
Aunts Mary Sackville Aledo
Helen Eckhardt Edgington
"Adopted " family Dale & Judy Schimpf
Al & Amy (Schimpf) Tolu-Honary
and daughters Farah, Ariana and Mina Mae, all of Freeport, IL
Karl Schimpf and fianc?e, Jessica Johnston Coralville, IA
She was preceded in death by her two brothers, Harold Wayne and Derrill Johnson.
Online condolences may be expressed to Lavona's family by visiting her obituary at
www.esterdahlmortuary.com
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