Bonnie Marie Johnston

Tuesday, May 29, 2018 9:19 pm

Bonnie Marie Johnston, daughter of Alva and Marie (Leichliter) Cowell, was born at home in Ringgold County July 20, 1931. Bonnie grew up at Mount Ayr and she graduated from Mount Ayr High School with the class of 1949. She was united in marriage to Ronald Johnston at the Little Brown Church at Nashua March 25, 1951. To this marriage wwere born two sons, Evan and Alvin. The family lived in Mount Ayr until 1958, when Ron’s work took them to Lake Wapello State Park at Drakesville from 1958 to 1973, when Ron was transferred to Decorah. Most recently, Bonnie and Ron lived in Osage. Bonnie loved to look nice and she used that passion to work in retail clothing stores in southeast Iowa and in Decorah. She worked at, and retired from, Margaret’s Clothing Store in Decorah.

Bonnie enjoyed working with the public. She enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. She liked collecting antiques found at thrift shops and rummage sales. She loved being a mother to her two sons and a grandmother to her three granddaughters and their families.

Bonnie became a resident of the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Osage, and it was there she passed away May 26, 2018. A visitation is Thursday, May 31, at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr, from 1 to 2 p.m. Services begin at 2 pm. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr. A memorial fund has been established in her name to be decided later. Online condolences may be left at armstrongfh.com.

Survivors include her three granddaughters and their families: Veronica (Jason) Baldwin of Albuquerque, N.M. and their children Topher and Gabe, Amanda (Andrew) Johnson of Bay City, Mich. and their daughter Indie, Alana (Luke) Scheer of Osage, and their children Drayven and Kade; daughter-in-law Rita Johnston of Osage; sisters-in-law Mildred Johnston of Urbandale and Patricia Cowell of Oregon; many nieces and nephews; and a special friend, Margaret “Muggs” Walter of Decorah.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ronald Johnston; sons, Evan Johnston and Alvin Johnston; sister, Betty Lynch; brothers: Duane Cowell, Robert Cowell and Richard and wife Debbie Cowell; and brother-in-law Herbert Johnston.