Virginia Mary Johnson, Oakwood Memorial Park, Ottawa IL

By May 19, 2020Obituaries

Virginia Mary Johnson, 92, of Ottawa passed away Thursday, May 14, 2020 at her home.

Private family services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Virginia was born December 21, 1927 in Ottawa to Lawrence J. “Dick” and Francis (Siolz) Stoudt. She married S. Milford Johnson on November 28, 1946; he passed away October 7, 1994.

Virginia graduated from St. Xavier’s Academy as class President in 1945. Her biggest endeavor in life was saving the Lincoln-Douglas Park and softball diamonds. As an honorary Ottawa City Council member, it was important to her to have a space for the children of the community to have a place to play. She never missed a City Council meeting.

Virginia was a caring and hardworking mother to her seven children. She stood behind them during every aspect of life. She took them to every sporting event, extracurricular, and baseball all-star game in the big Buick. She loved her children and grandchildren, they were her life. Virginia never met a stranger, and she had a smile and hello for everyone she saw.

She is survived by four children, Larry (Gayla) Johnson, Leo (Sheryl) Johnson, Mary Lynn “Gert” Deyo, and Stanley (Theresa) Johnson, all of Ottawa; daughter-in-law, Dianna Johnson; grandchildren, Eric Johnson, Andrew, Kelly (Chase Hill), Leo Jr. (Nikki Thrush), and Brett Johnson, Jason Phillips, Jeremy (Gayle) Johnson, Ashley (Mike) Cheatham, Justin Johnson, David (Kim) Johnson, Laci (Ian) McConnaughay, Neil Johnson, and Jaclyn (Chris) Hanly; 16 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Margaret Donnelly and Lorraine Gayan; her close friend, Helene Kossaris; many loving nieces and nephews; and many great friends from The Club and Virginia’s Round Table Coffee Group.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three sons, Keith, Kenneth, and Les Johnson; her son-in-law, Steve Deyo; and two brothers, LJ Stoudt and J. Richard “Shiek” Stoudt.

She was laid to rest at Oakwood Memorial Park in the Garden of Devotion.