Milrae Johnson

Hastings resident, Milrae Marie (Petersen) Johnson, 92, passed away Saturday, December 22, 2012 at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, Nebraska.

Memorial Services will be Saturday, January 5, 2013; 10:00 A.M. at First United Methodist Church, Hastings with Pastor Tony Dawson officiating. Private family burial will be in Parkview Cemetery, Hastings, Nebraska. Memorials may be given to First United Methodist Church. There will be no viewing or visitation.

Milrae Marie (Petersen) Johnson was born October 28, 1920 to Pete H. Petersen and Stella (Nelson) Petersen in Hildreth, Nebraska, at a farm southwest of Minden, Nebraska. As a young girl, she attended and graduated eighth grade from District 60, a one-room school in rural Kearney County, Nebraska. She graduated from Minden High School in 1938 and attended Central Community College later in life after moving to Hastings. During her early years she lived and worked in Minden and Kearney. In 1940 she married Lyle V. Johnson. To this union three children were born, two sons, Robert Lyle and Gary Lynn, and one daughter, Linda Milrae. In Minden, Milrae was a member of the Westminster United Presbyterian Church; and later in Hastings she was a member of the First United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women (UMW) as well as the Eagles women's auxiliary. She was also a Girl Scout leader and volunteer at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital. Milrae retired from her secretarial position at Central Community College at Hastings in 1983 at the age of 62. Her other work experience included Dutton-Lainson Company, Mode O'Day, Avon, and J.C. Penny Company at Hastings. In later years after living alone at Goldbeck Towers for nine years, she married a high school friend, Archie Johnson, and moved to the Regency Retirement Residence in Hastings where she enjoyed reading books, attending the scheduled activities, and especially playing cards. She will be missed greatly by her family and friends.

Milrae was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, LaVern Petersen of Axtell, Nebraska; two sisters, Thelma Olson and Ardyce Norbeck of Minneapolis, Minnesota; three brothers-in-law, Robert Wright, John Norbeck and Einer Olson; and husbands, Lyle Johnson in 1978 and Archie Johnson in 2006.

Survivors include:
Children & Spouses: Robert & Nancy Johnson - Omaha, NE
Linda & Lloyd Brown - Hastings, NE
Gary & Julie Johnson - Hastings, NE
Sister-in-law: Milrae Petersen - Axtell, NE
Grandchildren: 6
Great-Grandchildren: 7
Great-Great-Grandchild: 1
Sisters: Arlene Wright - Lenexa, KS
Erma Jean Scharff - Minden, NE