Emily Johnson

Emily Johnson (nee Dearth)

Age 98 of Coal City, passed away Tuesday May 6,2014 at Morris Hospital.

Born April 8, 1916 in Coal City, Emily Agnes was a daughter of the late Alfred and Mary Stewart-Dearth.  She attended Laymon School in the country and graduated from Coal City High School with the class of 1934.  On November 8, 1950, Emily married Vernon Johnson in the old Coal City United Methodist Church.  She held many jobs, beginning as a waitress after graduating high school, and continued on to work for the paper mill, Hornsby’s, and in a grocery store, before becoming employed with Illinois Bell Telephone Company.  Emily and her husband retired in 1978, and moved to North Port, Florida.  She was a very active person, who enjoyed bowling, golfing, dancing, going to dinner theatres, concerts, shopping and cooking.  Emily especially enjoyed traveling with her husband. Together they visited almost every state, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as vacationed abroad in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland.  After her husband Vernon’s death in 2000, Emily moved back to Coal City to be near her nieces and nephews.  She was a member of the Coal City United Methodist Church, and will be remembered for having a busy, but interesting life, with many wonderful memories of times past.

Survivors include nieces and nephews: Marijayne (Jack) Baudino of Verona, A.J. (Wilberta) Dearth of Montana, Joan Dearth of Florida, Margaret (Joe) Phillips and Marsha (Terry) Lohmar of Coal City, Ronald Dearth and Janice (Jim) Dunning, both of Morris and Mary (the late Roger) Farrell of Coal City as well as many great, great-great, and great-great-great nieces and nephews.

Emily was preceded in death by her parents; husband Vernon, brothers and sisters: Loretta Dearth in Childhood, a set of twins at birth, Melvin (Margaret) Dearth, Alfred “Sonny” (Virginia) Dearth, Wilbert (Pauline) Dearth, Glenn (Evelyn) Dearth, and Gertrude (Everett) Matthews, as well as two nephews: Nelson (Patt) Matthews and Melvin (Faye) Dearth.

The family will receive friends at the Coal City United Methodist Church, 6805 East McArdle Road on Thursday, May 8th from 9:00AM until time of funeral service 10:00AM. Reverend Dr. Tom Logsdon will officiate and burial will follow in Braceville-Gardner Cemetery.

Preferred memorials may be made as gifts in Emily’s memory to Grundy Community Volunteer Hospice, 518 West Illinois Avenue, Morris IL 60450 or Coal City United Methodist Church.

Friends may sign the online guest book by logging onto: www.ReevesFuneral.com

Funeral services and arrangements have been made under the direction and care of Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd. in Coal City (815/634-2125)