Marion Estelle Major Johnson, 94, of Fremont died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, in Fort Collins, Colorado.

She was born May 1, 1923, on a farm in the Quinnebaugh area of Burt County to Glenn Albert and Alice Angela (McNear) Major. She graduated second in her class from Tekamah High School in 1940. Marion attended Wayne State College and earned her teaching certificate, then taught school at Riverside School District 6.

She and Keith Charles Johnson were married on Jan. 22, 1944, in Waco, Texas, while he was in the Army Air Corp.

Marion and Keith farmed in the Riverside area until 1959 when they moved to Fremont. Marion was an educator and librarian, receiving her BA from Midland and her MLS from the University of Minnesota.

She was a Master Gardener, quilter, basket weaver and a wonderful cook.

Marion was preceded in death by her husband, Keith; daughter, Jean Angela; and her sisters and brother.

Survivors include: son, David (Dita) of Seattle; daughters, Carol (Tom) Tollman of Fort Collins, Maureen (Paul) Flierl of Mead and Germaine Johnson of Valentine; brother-in-law, Mark Johnson of Parker, Colorado; sisters-in-law, Joyce Allely of Greeley, Colorado, and Ann Junine Rathkamp of Virginia. Also survived by grandchildren, Amelia (Michael) Lavelle, Kevin (Valerie) Flierl, Angela (Tim) Eichmann and Cassie (Bryan) Clark; and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at Riverside Baptist Church in rural Burt County.

Memorials are suggested to Riverside Baptist Church, NET Nebraska or Burt County Museum.

Orginally published in the Fremont Tribune on December 19, 2017.