Mary Joan Johnson

Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson is in charge of arrangements for Mary Joan (say JoAnn) Cox Rice Johnson, 85, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Ladora. Joan died Tuesday at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. She is survived by her daughters Marilyn Wilson of Iowa City; Suzanne Schulte (Charlie) of Cedar Rapids; sons David Rice (Shirley) of Churdan and Tim Rice (Sheri) of Marengo; aunt Patsy McGinnis of Jefferson; brother Larry Cox of Des Moines; sisters Rose Tully of Virginia and Sally Brown of Missouri. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson with burial in the Rippey Cemetery by her son Howard "Butch" Rice. Visitation will be after 2:00 p.m. Friday at Hastings with her family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Mary Joan Beatrice Johnson, daughter of Leo Cox and Dorothy Kahoe Cox, was born December 16, 1926 in Jefferson, Iowa and died March 27, 2012 at St. Luke Hospital in Cedar Rapids at the age of 85 years, 3 months and 11 Days. Her funeral services were held,10:30 a. m. Saturday, March 31, at Hastings Funeral Home, in Jefferson, Iowa. Pastor Larry Monthei of the Hope Perish, Cooper, Iowa officiated. Her honorary casket bearers were Christine Hatfield, Christian Rice, Ronda Dehning, Susie Eckhardt, Becky Gidding, Deanna Rice, Kathy Rice, Stacey Guerra and Tina Rice the active casket bearers were Jason Rice, Vince Rice, Nick Hanson, Jeremiah Rice, Michael Rice, Jon Rice, Greg Rice, Herb Alford and Jeff Alford. Her music was recorded The Dance, If Tomorrow Never Comes and Kansas City, the burial was at the Rippey Cemetery at Rippey, Iowa. The Rippey United Methodist women provide the lunch after the burial. JoAnn, as she preferred to be called, attended Cooper School. She married Howard Rice in 1944 and they lived in the Farlin and Jefferson area. She worked at American Athletics in Jefferson until 1970. She moved to Marengo in 1970 and in 1972 married Cecil Johnson. They lived in Ladora. Cecil died in 1990. Joan had worked at Amana Refrigeration, Colony Village in the Amanas, Rose Haven Nursing Home and Arby's at the Tanger Outlet Mall. Joan's favorite mission in life was caring for her family and was a "Nanny" to her numerous grandchildren. She was an avid reader, a beautiful seamstress and crocheted many wonderful gifts for her family and friends. Her children especially enjoy the beautiful afghans she made. Joan loved crafts and had painted ceramics. Throughout her life, Joan loved horses. In these later years, she enjoyed the "Twilight" books and movies. Joan was preceded in death by her husband Cecil, her parents, an infant daughter Rosemary, her sons, Ron Rice and Howard "Butch" Rice, and sister, Marcia Cox. Joan will be very missed by her children, Maralyn Wilson of Iowa City; David Rice and wife Shirley of Churdan; Suzanne Schulte and her husband Charlie of Cedar Rapids; and Tim Rice and his wife Sheri of Marengo; daughter-in-law Anna Rice of Marshalltown; 18 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; many great-great-grandchildren; brother Larry Cox of Des Moines; sisters Rose Tully of Virginia; Sally Brown of Missouri; aunt Patsy McGinnis of Jefferson; nieces; nephews; other relatives and friends.