MARY RUTH JOHNSON

Friday, January 24, 2025
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Little Prairie Christiann Church - Albion, IL

Friday, January 24, 2025
1:00 p.m.
Little Prairie Christiann Church - Albion, IL

Mary Ruth Johnson, 71, died at 1:22 a.m. on Friday, January 17, 2025, at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Mary Ruth’s legacy can be summed up with the word dedication. She dedicated her entire life to God, her family, and to the hundreds of kids that she had the privilege to teach at Little Prairie Pre-School 37 years. She did everything 100% with dedication and commitment. She loved big. She served big. If you knew her, you would love her. If she knew you, know that she loved you as well. The void is unmeasurable.

She was dedicated to God. Her relationship with the Lord was a central part of who she was. She loved God. She was devoted to being in church and making sure that her children were in church whenever the doors were open. She was an active member of Little Prairie Christian Church, serving in the nursery, 2s & 3s, and helping at Vacation Bible School, and she treasured her church and church family. She overcame thyroid cancer in 2013, and she was diagnosed with Myeloid Sarcoma Leukemia in 2021. She battled and she fought hard, and while it may seem as though cancer won, it simply did not. She won when she said yes to accepting Christ as her Savior and then dedicated her life to serving him. Cancer is a part of her story, but cancer doesn’t define her story. She knew her identity was in Christ, and that identity was fully realized as she entered heavens gates with the words “well done, good and faithful servant.” She loved devotionals and reading her bible, especially reading a devotional and reading the bible with her husband together every night.

She was dedicated to her family. She loved her husband, Martin. Mom and dad were married for 53 years and dated for 3 years before that. Their lives together endured dads time in the Marine Corp and his service to our country in Vietnam. They lived in three states, their marriage was built on trust, faithfulness, service, and love. It was not often that you would see them apart. She loved their 3 children, and their children’s spouses. She adored and treasured her 9 grandchildren and her great-grandson. She would, along with dad, attend sporting events, plays, or whatever their grandkids were involved in. She loved Christmas time. She loved having games and activities for the grandkids at her house on Christmas night. Her family brought her great joy. She loved family gatherings, preparing food and just enjoying being with her family. She loved creating and carrying on family traditions.

She was dedicated to teaching pre-school at Little Prairie Christian Church. She began as an assistant when the school first opened and then became the director. She went back to school at got her associate’s degree in early childhood from Wabash Valley College, an accomplishment she was very proud of. Under her leadership, the school became well known in the community for not only providing a great education to have 5-year-olds ready for kindergarten, but most importantly, well known for providing the spiritual foundation for pre-school kids during their most formidable years.

Little Prairie Pre-School was often recognized and praised by the Edwards County School District for the way kindergartners were ready educationally.

She treated each child as if they were her own, and that was evidenced by numerous children who would say “Hi, Mrs. Johnson” wherever she went, no matter how long that person had been out of pre-school. Kids and adults alike would remember and discuss memories of their time at pre-school with her.

Mary Ruth is survived by her husband of 53 years, Martin of Albion. Her three children: Matt Johnson of Albion, Mason Johnson and his wife, Lezlie of Mt. Carmel, and Michelle Sweeny and her husband Joe, of Albion. She is also survived by daughter-in-law Darla Johnson. She is survived by her treasured grandchildren: Hannah (Dylan) Forys, Brianna (Justin) Hopper, Malachi Johnson, Meagan Johnson, Kaci Johnson and fiancé Aiden Fischer, Jayla Johnson, Noah Sweeny, Luke Sweeny, Avery Sweeny, and great-grandchild Oliver Hopper. She is survived by her sister, Janice (Gary) Shepherd and brother David (Karen) McKibben, and by her brothers and sisters-in-law: Mary (Lin) Weaver, Patti Murphy, Randy (Karen) Johnson, David (Tanna) Johnson, Gloria (Kent) Waller. She is also survived by several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, friends, and her friends that were like family at Wabash General Hospital Oncology.

She was preceded in death by her parents, mother and father-in law Howard and Imo Johnson, who felt like parents to her, her brother-in-law Bobby Murphy, and sister-in-law Linda Duncan.

Visitation for Mary Ruth Johnson will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Friday< January 24, 2025 at Little Prairie Christiann Church, Albion, IL. A Memorial Service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Little Prairie Pre-School. Ingram Meridith Funeral Home of Albion, IL is honored to assist with arrangements.