Carolyn Johnson

Carolyn Johnson, 81, of Atlantic, Iowa, died Sunday, February 25, 2024, at Heritage House in Atlantic.  

Carolyn Marie was born on July 28, 1942, in Atlantic, Iowa, the daughter of Frederick Christian and Pauline E. (Harmsen) Walter. She always shared fond memories of growing up with her 5 siblings on the family farm near the Elk Horn road, north of Atlantic. Carolyn started her education in a one room school house and graduated from Atlantic High School in the Class of 1960.  

On July 14, 1963, she was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Jack Robert Johnson at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic and they were blessed with two sons, Craig and Brad. Carolyn and Jack loved their life together. They enjoyed date nights to the Elk’s, sometimes with the boys tagging along playing pool and sipping Shirley Temples. They made yearly summer trips to Okoboji, swimming, fishing and taking in the attractions at Arnolds Park. The couple looked forward to trips to Las Vegas and Caribbean cruises with her sister Emy and husband Jack Barringer.

While in high school, Carolyn worked as a phone operator, then started at Farmers Home Administration after graduation, working there until deciding to stay at home to raise her sons. When she was ready to rejoin the workforce, she took a job at the Atlantic Medical Center and later took a position as a teller, working her way up to Branch Manager, at Heritage Federal Savings & Loan, later renamed to American Federal Savings & Loan. She retired from Cass County Memorial Hospital after 14 years as a Medical Records Specialist, then volunteered for several years after that. 

Carolyn was a bit of a social butterfly and was active in many organizations as it got her around people, which she loved. She was a den mother while the boys were in Scouts and was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, B.P.O. Does Drove #23, Cass County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, BPW and the Red Hat Society. She worked diligently in her various leadership roles as a Doe; the annual convention was a chance to travel to a new city, a highlight she looked forward to. Carolyn kept up to date on the news, especially politics, serving as a Precinct Captain in 2016.

Carolyn loved to start her day with the daily word Jumble. She was a good cook and wasn’t hesitant to experiment with new recipe ideas. Everyone knew at the holidays to just enjoy the time together and to stay out of the kitchen as she didn’t need much, if any help with her preferred system. Carolyn took a great amount of pride in the lives her sons had built for themselves and in being a citizen of Atlantic, a community she was embedded in and loved dearly.

Carolyn’s ability to listen and the goodness in her heart-driven actions will be deeply missed by her sons, Craig (Hope) Johnson of Clive, IA, and Brad (Stephanie) Johnson of Simpsonville, SC; two granddaughters, Grace Johnson of Des Moines, IA, and Eleanor Johnson of Iowa City, IA; sisters, Annabelle Lange of Atlantic, IA, and Emy (Jack) Barringer of Ames, IA; sisters-in-law, Jean Mezo of Mount Vernon, WA, and Mardell Walter of Elk Horn, IA; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Frederick and Pauline Walter; husband, Jack Johnson; brothers and sisters-in-law, Henry Walter, Paul (Connie) Walter, and Don (Mardelle Maley) Walter; brother-in-law, Gail Lange; not to mention her beloved miniature dachshund, Mandy.

Visitation with the family present will begin at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 9, 2024, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. A Celebration of Life Memorial service will be held at the church following the visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. At the conclusion of the service, a special tribute will be given to Carolyn by the B.P.O. Does, Drove #23.

Burial will be held in the Brighton Township Cemetery, near Marne.

The service will be recorded and available on the funeral home website by Monday morning and will be available for viewing through the end of March.  

Memorials may be directed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1011 East 13th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022 and also in her memory, be like Carolyn, BE KIND!

Roland Funeral Service is caring for Carolyn’s family and her arrangements.  Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.