Joan O. Johnson

Joan Orpha Johnson of Wisconsin Rapids (previously DeForest, WI), aged 92, passed away peacefully at Renaissance Assisted Living, December 22, 2023. Joan was born to George and Viola Cotterill in Wisconsin Rapids on November 27, 1931. She grew up and attended local schools in Wisconsin Rapids, graduating in 1949 from Lincoln High School. While in high school she met the love of her life, Robert W Johnson. They were married on August 4, 1951, in Merrill, WI by a justice of the peace and celebrated almost 70 years of partnership and life.
After graduating, Joan worked at Dr. Zellmer’s Optometry office in Wisconsin Rapids. In 1953, Bob enlisted in the United States Army, and they were stationed and lived in Colorado Springs. After service, they moved back to Wisconsin Rapids in 1955 for the birth of their first child. While Bob ran a gas station and service garage, Joan stayed home and raised her children. She was active in the kid’s school lives and PTA, Brownies, and Cub Scouts. She loved camping and spent the summers at Fish Lake Campground in Hancock, WI with her family.
After the kids were out of school, she and Bob created Bobbi Jo’s Ceramics, a business that taught customers the joy of ceramics and painting. Eventually, they moved the business out of the basement of their home and into a building that could accommodate more people and classes. Bob did the pouring of the ceramics and Mom was the creative force showcasing her artistic abilities and teaching others the art of ceramics.
In their retirement years, after years of cold winters starting stalled cars and pumping gas in the freezing cold, Mom and Dad enjoyed over 20 years of wintering in the Gulf Shores area in Alabama. Their retirement also allowed them to give the gift of helping their daughter, Chris, with her kids and family while she bravely fought a rare breast cancer that eventually claimed her life at age 40.
After her passing, to honor her and help raise money for cancer research, Mom and Dad began volunteering in Chris’ Choose Hope Cancer business which started in her basement. They both began another career, making “cancer sucks” buttons for sale, and helping in any way they could. Choose Hope eventually became a world-wide business that has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to cancer research nationwide.
Bob and Joan were blessed with three children, Jerold (Teri) Johnson of Wisconsin Rapids, Timothy Johnson of Wausau, and Christine (Mike) McHugh of DeForest.
Joan is survived by her children Jerold (Teri) Johnson and their children Jennifer (Phil) Layden and grandchildren Colin and Stella, Amy Johnson (friend Christopher Wollard) and Scot (Michael Zywicki) Johnson. Tim Johnson and his children Daniel (Caela) Johnson and grandchildren Farris, Alma and Julian and Noah (Katie) Johnson and grandchildren Poppy, Jasper, and Calvin. The late Christine (Michael) McHugh and grandchildren Angie (Van) Fitzsimmons and grandchild Mica, Patrick (Kyrsten) McHugh and Brianna (Mike) Mathweg and grandchildren Carter and Clara. She is also survived by step grandchildren, Jeremy (Heidi) Roloff and their children Conrad, Waylon, Spencer and Liza and Jenny (Jason) Shidell.
She is further survived by her sisters-in-law Elaine Johnson and Susan Wendt.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bob, daughter Christine McHugh, her parents George and Viola Cotterill, in-laws William and Anna Johnson; her sister Shirley Pike, brother-in-law William Robert (Sparky) Johnson and daughter-in-law Debbie Johnson.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Renaissance Living who were like family and went above and beyond. What a wonderful facility and great people.
A private family celebration of life will be held at Herman Taylor Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids at a later time. Memorials may be sent in her name to the UW Carbone Cancer Center, 600 Highland Avenue in Madison WI 53705.