Norma Kay Johnson, age 79, of rural Deerfield, MO passed away June 20, 2023 at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK after a brief illness.
She was born March 3, 1944 at the Dr’s office in Garland, KS, the daughter of Charles Glen Linn and Wilma Heitz Linn.
She graduated from Bronaugh High School in 1962. She worked at the ASCS office in Nevada after graduation where she met the love of her life, Bernard Johnson.
Bernard and Kay were married on December 29, 1962, at her parent’s home in rural Bronaugh and started their life together. Side-by-side for 52 years, they would raise a family, and build a successful farm and ranch operation while residing on the centennial farm where they became the third generation of Bernard’s family to farm and ranch.
Kay Johnson loved her family. Those who knew her well marveled at her ability to multi-task with aplomb.
She was capable of preparing three home cooked family meals a day, facilitate and perform farm work, cater a picnic on-site at a grain field at a moment’s notice, drive all three kids to baseball, football, softball, track, bible school, dance practices, 4-H and FFA activities, and recitals, all while accommodating the schedule of everyone in her family.
She was an exceptional cook and particularly gifted as a pastry chef. She ran a business out of her kitchen providing cakes and pies to local diners in Nevada and Fort Scott. She made elaborate wedding cakes for those fortunate enough to hire her and managed the bakery at a large grocery store in Fort Scott for several years.
She also worked at DayCo in Fort Scott.
She was a highly competent “Family Doctor” who kept her husband and three children healthy, happy and productive through the various scrapes, ailments and accidents of an active life on the farm.
In her free time she bred and raised Cocker Spaniels.
After the passing of her husband in 2014, she leased the crop ground to her nephew, Ryan Linn and took pride in building her cowherd.
She did volunteer work as a teaching assistant at the elementary school in Bronaugh where she earned a certificate of recognition from her students.
She was a member of Rinehart Christian Church.
Kay Johnson considered her children, grandchildren and great grandson her life’s greatest accomplishment and greatly enjoyed each moment spent with them. Kay Johnson did these things while always carrying herself with class and dignity. She was a role model to her family and a great example of a life well lived.
Survivors include one son, Mark Z. Johnson and wife Brenda, Orlando, OK; two daughters, Lisa Kay Peterson and husband Jared, Owasso, OK, and Brenda Johnson-Farmer, Parkville, MO; six grandchildren, Tayler Joseph Peterson, Kaylee Jo Farmer, Rylee Elisabeth Cash, Hayden Jared Peterson, Sydney Pearl Johnson, and Charley Ries Johnson; one great grandson, Brooks Joseph Peterson; one brother, Jimmy Linn and wife Jackie, Bronaugh; and numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents.
Rev. Kevin Moyers will conduct funeral services at 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 26th, 2023, at the Rinehart Christian Church.
Burial will follow at the National Cemetery in Fort Scott, KS.
The family will receive friends at a visitation from 2 – 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at the Cheney Witt Chapel in Fort Scott.
Memorials are suggested to the McKill Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of sympathy may be emailed to the family at [email protected].