Mary Alice Johnson, 87
Mary Alice Johnson, age 87 of Mason City and formerly of Nashua, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away quietly on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at North Iowa Hospice Center in Mason City.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, at the United Methodist Church in Nashua with the Rev. Sarah Namukose presiding. It is strongly recommended for people to practice social distancing and wear face masks to both the funeral and visitation.
Interment will be held in Oak Hill Cemetery, Nashua, with Mike Tyer, Jennifer James, Joe Crandall, Angela Crandall, Luke Crandall, Lisa Crandall, and Katherin El Sherif serving as pallbearers.
Friends may greet the family from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug., 25, 2020, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory/Olson Chapel in Nashua. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.
Online condolences for Mary’s family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com.
Mary was born on March 4, 1933, in Osage, to Albert and Hattie Belle Turner. She grew up in Mitchell and graduated from Mitchell High School in 1950. She enjoyed playing basketball and was an honor student. She so enjoyed attending all her Mitchell class reunions.
On June 11, 1950, Mary was united in marriage to Robert L Tyer (Clear Lake). To this union, four children — Mary Lee, Susan, Daniel and Deborah — were born. They later divorced.
On Sept. 7, 1974, she was married to Doyle D. Johnson. Mary was a homemaker for many years. Mary was a wonderful mom, a great cook and seamstress. She was employed at the Nashua IGA store for many years.
Mary had a passion for gardening and anything flowers. Her gardens were beautiful, and you would look hard to spot a weed anywhere. One of her favorite pastimes was collecting dolls. She would make her granddaughters and their dolls matching dresses that were beautiful. She won prizes for the dolls she entered in contests over the years. A showing of her collection was on display at the Nashua Library.
Mary was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church in Nashua. She was active in UMW, holding offices for both local and state groups over the years. She taught Sunday School and worked with youth groups at church. Her faith was a center for her life.
Her hobbies include bowling, Chuck Wagon Races, fall leaf tours on the Mississippi River, playing her organ and any time spent with Family and Friends. Mom was a volunteer for Hospice in Nashua for 10 years. She was a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader for her children’s troops.
Mary spent her last few years at Homestead Assisted Living in Mason City, Iowa. She enjoyed her time with the residents and staff there. She enjoyed decorating seasonal displays for everyone in the lobby. She loved participating in crafts, singing, competing in bean bag contests and of course Bingo.
Mary’s loving family includes her brother, Merlyn and Carol Turner (Charles City); jer children. Susan Crandall (Oelwein), Daniel and Judith Tyer (Waverly), and Deborah and Kevin Fitzgerald (Mason City); her grandchildren, Joseph Crandall and Amy Cline (Marion), Lisa (Auburn, Maine), Katherine and Zackary El Sherif (Kansas City, Missouri), Angela Crandall and Alex Coursen (Kansas City, Missouri), Jennifer and Micah James, (Cedar Rapids), and Mike Tyer and Keith Sieren (Waterloo); her great-grandchildren, Lukes Crandall, Natalie Crandall, Isaiah James, Grace James and Beckett Crandall; her stepchildren, Dean and Terri Johnson (Florida), Patty and Dan Bilharz (Nashua). Scott and Sandy Johnson (Nora Springs), and Todd and Lori Johnson (Tennessee); her nieces and nephews; and many friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Belle Turner; her husband Doyle Johnson; her siblings, Earl, Ralph, Allen, Esther, Dean and Mildred; a daughter, Mary Lee Tyer; a son-in-law, Dan Crandall; a special niece, Lois Zimmerman; and her stepchildren, David and April Johnson.
