Stella Johnson

Stella Johnson, age 87, of Aurora, formerly of Orleans, passed away Saturday, December 2, 2023, at Memorial Community Care.
Graveside Services will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 7 at the Orleans Cemetery in Orleans.   Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora. Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date.   Condolences may be sent to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.
Stella Mae Johnson, the daughter of Palmer J. and Alvina M. (Meyer) Haugen, was born in Spencer, Iowa on May 23, 1936 and passed away in Aurora, on December 2, 2023, at the age of 87.
Stella grew up and received her education in Spencer, graduating from Spencer High School.   While in high school she met Robert, he was on leave in the Army visiting his sister Mildred, who was Stella’s neighbor.   This was the start of many letters exchanged, while he was stationed in Japan, during the Korean War.

Stella was joined in marriage to Robert D. Johnson on July 31, 1954 in Phillipsburg, Kansas.   They were blessed with three children: Janet, Larry and Barbara.   They made their home in Orleans for the next 45 years until Robert passed away on May 21, 2000.   Stella moved to Aurora in 2010 to live closer to Larry and Barbara.
Stella was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Orleans for many years, she also delivered Meals on Wheels.   She enjoyed being with family and friends, cooking, watching Husker football, and the many pets the family had over the years.   She always had a positive outlook on life, and she loved to talk to people and make them smile.   She will be dearly missed.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Palmer and Alvina Haugen; husband Robert Johnson; daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Ron Baxa; brother Russell Haugen and his wife Eilene; brothers and sisters-in-law, Mildred (Virgil) Middaugh, Warren (Louise) Johnson, Harold (Phyllis) Johnson and Beverly (William) Boston.
Those left to cherish her memory are her two children, Larry Johnson of Aurora and Barbara (John) Steinmann of Chapman; five grandchildren, Brian (Snehal) Baxa, Greg (Roxanne) Baxa of Topeka, KS, John Steinmann, Jordan Steinmann and Jenae (Ethan) Keiper of Chapman; three great-grandchildren, Paislee, Kaylee and Gabbie.   She is also survived by her sister, Margaret (Doug) Miller of Emmetsburg, IA and sister-in-law, Hilde Johnson of Chico, CA and other relatives and friends.