Ivan Luverne Johnson

Ivan L. Johnson, 93, of Forest City, died peacefully Friday, January 16, 2015 surrounded by his family at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at the First Baptist Church, 18508 E Hwy 9, Forest City with Pastor Doug Snyder and Pastor Steve Sorenson officiating.

Visitation will be held 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. Monday, January 19, 2015 at Cataldo Schott Funeral Chapel, 505 North Clark St. Forest City. Interment will be held in Madison Township Cemetery in Forest City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Hospice of North Iowa or the Forest City Good Samaritan Center Van Fund.

Ivan Luverne Johnson was born August 28, 1921 in his home near Klemme Iowa to Hazel (Buss) Johnson and Sylvan T “Happy” Johnson. Ivan graduated from Hayfield High School in 1939. After which he immediately began farming north of Forest City. He married the love of his life, Phyllis (Goranson), on February 20, 1948 and had four children to this union.
He started his career in farming with a team of horses and 65 years later retired with a JD four wheel drive tractor. He was a dairy farmer with a beef cow herd, sow herd, sheep and chickens. The whole family was needed to keep up with what needed to be done. The stories and memories usually center around time spent working together and the challenges animals and weather bring to a farm family. First Baptist Church and visiting family and friends were the center of life off the farm. It was these experiences that molded his family and strengthened their character.

He and his wife, Phyllis, retired in 2006 and then moved into Forest City. They resided there until moving to Forest Plaza the last four years.

Ivan is survived by his wife of 66 years, Phyllis; one sister, Norva (David) Coles, Arkansas; four children, James (Pat) Johnson, Davenport, Wayne (Gloria) Johnson, Forest City, Linda (John) Benolken Texas and Mark (Kris) Johnson, Forest City. To those children Ivan boasts of 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Ryan Johnson of Florida,. Regen and Jordyn Johnson Davenport, Chad (Sarah) Johnson , Caleb, Ethan, Ella, Colorado , . Rebecca (Harrison) Hezekiah, Gideon, Abraham and AnaPrisca Hanson, Orange City, Lucas (Andrea) Logan, Jamison, Angelina Johnson, Forest City, Aaron (Tiffany) Wyatt, Ella and Kate Benolken Texas, Greg Benolken, Texas, Sarah Johnson, Iowa City, Nicholas Johnson and Zach Johnson Forest City. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Sylvan and Hazel; brother and his wife Eugene and Elaine Johnson of Spirit Lake Iowa.