Gentry county Missouri, Obituaries: Etta Catherine Johnson Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by: Don Raymond The Stanberry Headlight; Gentry County Missouri; Thursday, February 7, 1985; page 6: Mrs. Etta Catherine Johnson, daughter of the late Isaac Millard Edson and Sarah Catherine Ross Edson, was born in the family farm home north of New Hampton, Missouri in Dallas Township, on December 22, 1891 and passed away in the Methodist Medical Center, St. Joseph, Missouri, January 31, 1985 at the age of 93 years, 1 month and 9 days. As a young girl she grew to womanhood in the New Hampton and Martinsville area. She graduated from the High Point School which was 1 1/2 miles southwest of the family home. Later she graduated from the Missouri Wesleyan College, Cameron, Missouri; Baker University of Baldwin, Kansas and the Conservatory of Music at Maryville, Missouri where she studied piano with Professor Perry Oliver Landon who was a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Leipzig, Germany. In her early days she traveled by horse and buggy througout Northwest Missouri giving private piano lessons and piano recitals and continued sharing her ability and love of music to young people, giving even her two grandsons piano lessons in 1971 at her age, then of 80 years old. On March 18, 1915 Catherine was united in marriage to Joseph Evan Johnson at her parents home by her future father-in-law, Rev. Joseph A. Johnson. One hundred and four guests attended the wedding, and Professor Perry Oliver Landon played for her wedding. To this union four children were born. On April 1, 1929 she and Mr. Johnson established the Bram & Johnson Funeral Home in Hamilton, Missouri, later selling their interest to Mr. and Mrs. R. J. A. Bram. They then moved to Cainsville, Missouri and established the Johnson Funeral Home and also at Mercer where they continued to serve until they sold the funeral home to Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Stoklasa in 1935 at which time they moved to Stanberry, Missouri and founded the Johnson Funeral Home which this year marks the 50th year in Stanberry. In 1954, they sold their funeral home at Stanberry to their son Ross E. and his late wife, Betty S. Johnson who died on July 31, 1980. After her husband died on August 15, 1955, she was selected to become the Superintendent of Memorial Home in St. Joseph, Missouri for many years. Later she was selected to be the Superintendent of Children's Masonic Home in St. Louis, Missouri until she returned to Stanberry. She was a 40 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and had served the Grand Chapter of Missouri as District Deputy Grand Matron in 1935. she was also a member of the Order of White Shrine of Jerusalem Joseph Shrine Chapter 33 of St. Joseph, Missouri. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Stanberry for many years. She was member of the Elizabeth Harrison Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Bethany, Missouri with her lineage traced back to England by her Mayflower ancestors. She was a member of the Missouri Funeral Directors Assoiciation, and the National Funeral Directors Association,and on June 7, 1967 she received a 50 year "Certificate of Award" from the Missouri funeral Directors Association. She was also featured in "Who's Who" as a genealogy researcher and was known for helping people all over the United States trace their ancestors. She was a member of the Runcie Club of St. Joseph, Missouri and of the Missouri Historical Society. She organized the Fidelis Study Club of Stanberry, the Gentry County Historical Society, the Garden and Hobby Club of Stanberry, and the Ladies Lions Club also of Stanberry. She was successful in obtaining the Ann Hawkins Gentry Roadside Park in 1960 - the first roadside park in Gentry County. The happiest moments of her life were the joys of having two Eagle Scout grandsons and later seeing them gradute and becoming licensed funeral directors and embalmers as the third generation - carrying on the family tradition of the Johnson Funeral Homes as she and her husband founded 56 years ago. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sarah Catherine in 1932 and Isaac Millard Edson in 1945, her husband August 15, 1955, one daugher, Etta Lillie, in infancy, February 12, 1921, 2 sons, Dr. Joseph Robert Johnson, May 7, 1976, and an infant son on August 30, 1919; three brothers, Alonzo Ross Edson in 1960, Elmer Elsworth Edson, December 21, 1968 and Stanley M. Edson, January 4, 1893; one nephew and daughter-in-law. Her survivors include one son, Ross E. Johnson, Stanberry, Missouri; two grandsons, Ross E. Johnson Jr., Marville, Missouri; Robert J. Johnson, Albany, Missouri; two nephews, cousins, other relatives and many dear friends. Funeral services were held Sunday, February 3, 1985 at 2 p.m. at the Johnson Funeral Home in Stanberry, Missouri. The Rev. Dick Newman officiating. Burial was held in the High Ridge Cemetery.