Edith Mildred (Jennings) Johnson, 103, of Springfield passed away peacefully on June 13, 2023. She was born Jan. 8, 1920, and grew up on a farm near Stoutland with her parents, Leroy Jennings and Edith (Walker) and her younger brother, Leroy Milton Jennings.
Known to Springfield friends as Edith and to family as Mildred or “Mema.’’ She was smart, kind, independent, funny and was loved by everyone who met her. She is survived by her son Stephen Johnson, granddaughters Kristen (Michael) Stalling, Carrie Johnson (Matthew Young), great-grandchildren Brett and Madeline Stalling, daughter-in-law Linda Johnson, brother-in-law James (special sister-in-law Marilyn) Johnson, nieces Patricia (James) Costakos, Mary Jennings, Linda (Joe) Pickering, nephew Joe (Catherine) Jennings, beloved cousin Sammie Barclay, dear friends Art and Donna Irish, and many other friends and relatives.
Edith married Douglas Edward Johnson on March 1, 1941, and had one son Stephen Douglas Johnson in 1943. Soon after, Douglas was drafted and served in the Pacific during WWII, returning when Stevie was three years old. The small family were very close knit and loved to travel on road trips out west, especially to Colorado.
Edith graduated from Lebanon Beauty School. She managed shops in both Stoutland and Richland from the 1940s to 1982. Many will remember her love of doing hair and her beauty shop, Mildred’s Beauty Nook.
In retirement she and Douglas moved to Springfield, in 1988. They were long-time members of Campbell United Methodist Church, where she made many dear friends. She was an amazing cook and loved making huge southern spreads for family and friends. She enjoyed tending to her immaculate yard and flower beds and grew a vibrant vegetable garden well into her 90s.
She was preceded in death by her husband Douglas, her parents, brother, six-sisters-in-law, five brothers-in-law and two nephews. She lived in her home in Springfield until 2017 when she moved to Montclair Senior Living, which she enjoyed over the next 4 years. In 2021 she moved to Overland Park, KS to be close to her son and granddaughters.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Greenlawn South Funeral Home. Visitation will be on Wednesday, June 28, 3-5 p.m. Funeral services on Thursday, June 29 at 11 a.m. Burial in Hazelwood Cemetery, Springfield. We encourage attendees to honor our Mema’s spirit, her love of flowers and her favorite color pink by wearing joyful spring colors to the services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Arrangements are under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home South of Springfield.
