08/24/2019 - Marybell Johnson

Funeral services for Mary Isabell ‘Marybell’ Johnson, age 91, of Rushville, NE will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at the Morse Memorial Methodist Church in Rushville, NE with Pastor Paul Smith officiating.

Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Rushville, NE.

A memorial has been established for Pioneer Manor Nursing Home, and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, PO Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343.

Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainchapel.com.

Marybell passed away on August 20, 2019 at Pioneer Manor Nursing Home in Hay Springs, NE. She was born on December 17, 1927 at home to Herman and Isabell (Lehman) Wellnitz. She grew up helping her father driving teams and planting crops. She walked or rode her horse Snip to grade school every day. When Marybell was in 6th grade, Clayton Tallon was starting 1st grade. The teacher would lift Clayton up and he would ride behind Marybell to the Comer hill, slide off and go the rest of the way home. After school Marybell would help her mother bake and make butter in the large wooden churn.

She graduated from Rushville High School. After graduation she received her teaching certificate and taught area country schools, and during the summer she returned home to help her father in the fields and care for her mother.
She married Doyle Johnson on January 23, 1949 in the aftermath of the ‘49 Blizzard. To this union five children were born, Rodney, Douglas, Carol, Larry, and Rhoda.

Marybell and Doyle continued to farm the family farm, raising their four children and one grandchild. Marybell worked hard in her home and yard (you should see the skeletons of mowers and weed eaters she wore out)! She loved to crochet doilies, make beautiful crosses, and bake goodies for family, friends, and neighbors. Every year she had a huge garden with an enormous amount of produce. She was a member of the United Methodist Church, Extension Club, Does, Women’s Club, and the American Legion Auxilary.

Marybell was preceded in death by husband Doyle; infant son Rodney; mother Isabel; father Herman; and sisters and brothers-in-law Pearl (Gerald) Walgren and Myrtle (Bill) Roffers.

Marybell is survived by son Doug (Kathy) Johnson and their children Cristopher and Sarah of Illinois; daughter Carol Johnson of South Dakota and her children Malinda (Kenny) Smith of Rushville, NE and Charlana (Marcus) Hjersmsan of Alliance, NE; son Larry (Lisa) Johnson on Chadron, NE and their daughter Dani (John) Bishay Of Bennington, NE; daughter Rhoda (Cal) Coomes of Chadron, NE and their children Jake (Kristen) Hunter of Chadron, NE, Tyler Hunter and friend Maria of Chadron, NE, Mike (Julie) Coomes of Rushville, NE, Kevin Coomes of Chadron, NE, Lynda Scott of Gering, NE, and Crissy (Chris) Olsen of Harrisburg, NE, sister-in-law Lorna (Dale) Christofferson; sister-in-law Virginia Johnson of Hay Springs, NE; brother-in-law Wes Wilsey of Hay Springs, NE; 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.