Joan Johnson

Joan Johnson, daughter of the late Rev. Clarence Everett “C.E.” and Gertrude (Huff) Williams, was born January 7, 1934, in Wellbern, Kansas. She outlived her hometown, which is now part of Kansas City, Kansas. She departed this life July 18, 2025, in Springfield, Missouri at 91 years of age.

She graduated from high school in Amsterdam, Missouri, with the class of 1952. She met and married her first husband and had her two daughters, Brenda and Glenda. She started working at Boeing at 18 years old as a riveter, and later worked her way up to being the quality control supervisor. She remarried Denzel Johnson and acquired four more children, Bob, Gwen, Terry, and Kathy. Joan and Denzel owned and operated gas stations and restaurants together. Denzel ran the station and Joan would cook in the evenings at the restaurant after she got off work at Boeing.

Joan retired from Boeing, and she and Denzel team drove a truck over the road for over a decade. After they decided to come off the road and return home, Joan worked as a milk inspector for DHIA, and continued in that role until she was 89 years old. She worked hard all of her life, and she instilled a strong work ethic in her children and grandchildren.

Joan loved the Lord and she loved her family. She was an excellent cook and she enjoyed cooking for her family. Joan loved basketball and she played basketball in high school. She loved going to games and watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren play basketball. She also loved flowers and enjoyed going to Sue’s Greenhouse and “helping” Sue with her flowers and weeds. Joan loved farming and she liked the word BOSS. She was always in charge of the farm and she took pride in making sure everything ran smoothly. She always enjoyed being outdoors and always kept herself busy outside so she wouldn’t have to be inside.

Joan was a wonderful mother and a strong woman who left a legacy of a good work ethic, morals, and values.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. C.E. and Gertrude Williams, her husband, Denzel Johnson, one daughter, Brenda Collins, two brothers, Johnny Williams and Carlos Williams, one sister, Stella Johnson, and one great-grandson, Tre Sawyers.

She is survived by one daughter, Glenda McKinley, one step-son, Bob Johnson, one son-in-law, William Collins, seven grandchildren, Dawna Johnson, Bobbi Wathen and husband, Brian, Wendy Johnson, LaVonne Kimzey, Kenny James and wife, Lori, Jolene Sawyers and husband, Ronnie, and Derek James and wife, Melissa, and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren who will miss her.