June Johnson

June Johnson, 87, of Clear Lake, died peacefully at Ebenezer Care Center, Burnsville, Minn., on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012 following a short fight with lymphoma.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 at the First Congregational Church, Clear Lake, with Rev. Brad Thornton officiating.  Visitation with family will begin at  10 a.m. at the church.  Inurnment 

will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, Iowa, at a later date.  According to her wishes her body has been cremated.  Memorials may be given to the Clear Lake Senior Center.

Waneta June Birkholz was born June 3, 1925 in Geneva, Iowa.  She was the daughter of Leo William & Iva Vonda (Fuston) Birkholz.  She lived with her grandparents, William and Leapha Fuston, near Clear Lake until the age of 14, when her grandmother died. She then went to live with her mother and step-father, Iva and Helmer Hanson. She graduated from Nora Springs High School in 1944. 

On Sept. 18, 1948 she married the love of her life, Donald Johnson, at the Methodist Parsonage in Clear Lake.  They were the parents of one daughter, Margaret Ann.

They lived in Garner for many years eventually moving to Sioux Falls and Tyndall, S.D., where Don worked for various hatcheries.  In 1973 they bought a Sears Catalog store in Emmetsburg, Iowa.  In 1992 they retired and moved to Clear Lake.  

Following Don’s death in 2007, June became the site director of the Senior Center in Clear Lake and continued in the job until her health started to decline this past July.  

She was a member of Clear Lake Congregational Church where she was active with the Women’s organization.  For many years she organized the Annual Christmas Tea.

She enjoyed entertaining and loved hosting her extended family and friends at holidays and other special occasions.  

She is survived by her daughter, Margaret Ann (Dennis) Stachour, Apple Valley, Minn.; three grandchildren,  Ann Marie (Peter) Czarnecki, Belle Plaine, Minn., Elizabeth Stachour, Arlington, Va., and Charles Stachour, Geilenkirchen AFB, Germany; four great-grandchildren, Avery, Ben, Noelle, Lindsey Czarnecki; brothers, Donald Birkholz, Davenport, Iowa, Rodney (Pat) Hanson, Mason City;  sisters, Laurel O’Rourke, Maryville, Miss., Maxine (Bill) Worsley, Clear Lake, Hazel Ann (Larry) Kaye, Alamo, Calif.; brothers-in-law, Charles (Virginia) Johnson, Chula Vista, Calif., Ivan Burkheimer, Mason City; sister-in-law, Arlene Goepel, Britt, Iowa, Arlene Birkholz, Fairborn, Ohio; and several nieces, nephews and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Thelma Birkholz and Helmer and Iva Hanson; husband, Donald; brothers, Bill Birkholz, Gary Hanson and Curtis Hanson; sister, Sylvia Burkheimer; and a brother and sister in infancy.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.