Obituary of Mildred Johnson

A funeral service for Mildred Johnson, age 99, of Cincinnati, Ohio, formerly of Milford, will be held Friday, September 18th at 11:00AM at the First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. Visitation will be on Thursday, September 17th from 5:30-8:00pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Mildred Matilda (Bonde) Johnson, the daughter of Christine (Mikkelsen) and Peter Bonde, was born January 15, 1916 in Newell, Iowa. Mildred grew up on a farm in a loving family in Newell, Iowa. After high school graduation she continued her education at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and then transferred to the University of Iowa (U of I) in Iowa City, Iowa from which she graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Commerce. On September 5, 1942, Mildred was united in marriage to Walter Edward Johnson in Omaha, Nebraska. She then moved with her husband, Walter, to Olympia, Washington where he was stationed at Fort Lewis Army Base. She continued to move around the country with him for short stays until he was deployed overseas. After the War, the family moved to Iowa City for Walter's degree completion and then made their home in Milford, Iowa for over 50 years. She later retired in Cincinnati, Ohio (2004 to the present). For much of her career (twenty years), Mildred worked as a Social Worker and Adoptions Specialist for the Iowa Department of Human Services (Dickinson County Office) in Spirit Lake, Iowa, working primarily in foster care and adoptions. She had also previously worked as a Legal Secretary in Storm Lake, Iowa and Milford, Iowa. Mildred enjoyed many and varied activities including making and dressing porcelain dolls; painting on china and canvas (winning several blue ribbons at the Clay County Fair on various entries/categories); photography; darkroom picture developing; 8mm video photography (chronicling family history from the 1940's-1980's); glass etching; jewelry making, sewing for family (including many dance recital costumes), scrapbooking; playing the organ; traveling [including a tour of the world (Israel, China, etc.), as well as tours of Europe, Alaska, South America and Iceland] and sharing travel logs and slide shows. She also enjoyed being a ham radio operator and learning computer skills. Mildred was a member of First Lutheran Church in Milford, Iowa; a travel club and painting groups, traveling to several conventions. She enjoyed hosting family and friends, a couples' bridge club (for 40 years) and women's bridge clubs as well as attending a variety of Bible studies. Community service included being a Meals on Wheels volunteer, a Foster Care Parents' Support Group leader, a child safety awareness program volunteer (Milford Elementary School), a children's Sunday school teacher, a Women's Bible Study leader and serving in various church circles. Personally, Mildred was a loving and dedicated wife and mother who served and cherished her household and family pets. Of utmost importance to her were her family and her lifelong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior as expressed through a deep interest in Bible study, Christian service and a life well lived as a Christian woman. Mildred passed away Friday, September 11, 2015 at a Cincinnati, Ohio hospital at ninety-nine years of age. She is survived by her brother, Merlyn (Waukee, Iowa); a daughter, Connie (Wes) Lastine (Ames, Iowa); a son, Bob (Sandy) Johnson (Bloomington, Minnesota); a daughter, Debbie (John) Breneman (Cincinnati, Ohio); a daughter, Janet Johnson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa); eight grandchildren including Doug (Beth) Lastine (Urbandale, Iowa); Jana (Brian) Sobecks (Glenview, Illinois); David Lastine (Ames, Iowa); Christy Johnson (Bloomington, Minnesota); Chris Breneman (Cincinnati, Ohio); Kevin Breneman (Cincinnati, Ohio); Ali Breneman (Chicago, Illinois); Nathan Breneman (Cincinnati, Ohio) as well as five great grandchildren and a host of extended family members and friends. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, her husband (Walter Johnson) and sister (Bernice Farrell).