Maxine Johnson

Cloey "Maxine" Johnson, 85, formerly of Neosho Falls, Kansas passed away Saturday, March 16, 2013 at the Heritage of Overland Park. Maxine was born April 19, 1927 at rural Neosho Falls, Kansas, the daughter of Raymond and Anna (Heslop) Stovall. She graduated from Neosho Falls High School in 1945, went to Ft. Scott to be certified as a teacher and taught in a one-room school. Maxine met Bill Johnson when he came to work on her family's farm. They married on July 18, 1948 in Hayward, California where they made their home. Once her children were in school, Maxine worked as a sales clerk at Sears and bookkeeper at White Front department stores. Bill retired in 1970 from the Alameda Naval Air Station and they returned to Neosho Falls where Maxine worked at the Neosho Valley Senior Center. Bill preceded her in death on July 14, 1991. Maxine loved fishing, quilting, crocheting and tending her flower gardens. She enjoyed going to auctions and driving the RV to visit relatives or escape the Kansas winters. She was a member of the Neosho Falls Methodist Church. She is survived by two children: Karen Foster & husband Wes Spencer of Sacramento, CA and Connie Highland & husband Michael of Shawnee, KS. She had four grandchildren (Matthew Foster, Sarah Schmidt, Nathan Highland and Laura Highland), four great-grandchildren (Jacob, Cody, Trevor & Ethan), and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son Kevin, her brothers Francis & Dwight Stovall and her sisters May Dutton and Pauline Fitzpatrick. FUNERAL SERVICE: 2:00 p.m., Thursday, March 21, 2013, at the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Chapel in Iola, where the family will receive friends an hour prior to the service. BURIAL: Geneva Cemetery northwest of Iola, Kansas Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for the family may be left on this website, www.iolafuneral.com .