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Ivan Luverne Johnson

1921 - 2015

August 28, 1921 - January 16, 2015

Surrounded by his family at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City, Ivan L. Johnson, 93, of Forest City, died peacefully on Friday, January 16, 2015.

Ivan Luverne Johnson was born on August 28, 1921, at home near Klemme, Iowa, to Hazel (Buss) and Sylvan T. “Happy” Johnson. After graduating from Hayfield High School in 1939, he, immediately, began farming north of Forest City. On February 20, 1948, he married the love of his life, Phyllis (Goranson). Four children were born to this to this union.

Ivan began farming with a team of horses, and sixty-five years later, he retired with a John Deere four wheel drive tractor. Primarily a dairy farmer, he also had a herd of beef cattle and a herd of sows as well as sheep, and chickens. The whole family needed to pitch in to keep up with all the work. Their stories and memories usually centered around time spent working together and dealing with the challenges animals and weather bring to a farm family. Off the farm, they made attending the First Baptist Church and visiting family and friends the center of life. Quite understandably, these experiences molded his family and strengthened their character. Ivan and Phyllis retired in 2006 and then moved into Forest City. They resided there until they moved to Forest Plaza four years ago.

Ivan is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 66 years; one sister, Norva (David) Coles, of Arkansas; four children, James (Pat) Johnson, of Davenport, Wayne (Gloria) and Mark (Kris) Johnson, of Forest City, Linda (John) Benolken, of Texas; ten grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren: Ryan Johnson, of Florida; Regen and Jordyn Johnson, of Davenport; Chad (Sarah) and Caleb, Ethan, and Ella Johnson, of Colorado; Rebecca (Harrison) and Hezekiah, Gideon, Abraham, and Ana Prisca Hanson, of Orange City; Lucas (Andrea) and Logan, Jamison, and Angelina Johnson, of Forest City; Aaron (Tiffany) and Wyatt, Ella, and Kate Benolken, of Texas; Greg Benolken, also of Texas; Sarah Johnson, of Iowa City; and Nicholas and Zach Johnson, of Forest City; as well as by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvan and Haze; and his brother and his wife, Eugene and Elaine Johnson, of Spirit Lake, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, January 20, 2015, at the First Baptist Church, 18508 E Hwy 9, Forest City, with Pastors Doug Snyder and Steve Sorenson officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M., Monday, January 19, 2015, at the Cataldo Schott Funeral Chapel, 505 North Clark St., Forest City.

Interment will take place in the Madison Township Cemetery in Forest City. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Hospice of North Iowa or the Forest City Good Samaritan Center Van Fund.

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