Ella Pauline (Johnson) Johnson was born the first of six children to Ralph Harvey and Laura Anna
(Schulke) Johnson on March 11, 1916 in northeast Phillips County, KS. She departed this life on October
12, 2014 at Redbud Village Estates, Plainville, KS at the age of 98.

Ella graduated from Phillipsburg High School with the Class of 1933 at the age of 17. She was honored
as the oldest graduate at her 80th Class Reunion in May 2013. Ella received her teaching certificate and
started teaching school the fall following her high school graduation. This was to be her life vocation.
She taught in a school just across the Nebraska line, country schools scattered throughout northeast
Phillips County, two separate stints in Glade, and retired from Phillipsburg South Grade School after
having taught Second Grade for 13 years. The last country school she taught at was "Old #1" out on the
old Highway 36. She always talked about "her kids" out at "Old #1" - she held them all very close to her
heart. She also enjoyed teaching Summer School as it was a time to really relax and have fun with the
kids. And if teaching school were not enough, as a member of the United Methodist Church in
Phillipsburg, she also taught Sunday School for several years.

On August 5, 1945 Ella was united in marriage to Wayne LaVerne Johnson at the Christian Church in
Phillipsburg. They started farming and helping the landowners of the farms on which they lived. In
1953, the couple purchased Cox farm, one mile southwest of where Wayne was born and raised. Having
no children during their first fourteen years of marriage, Wayne and Ella enjoyed the many hours of
company that their neighbor boy, Kennie Johnson spent with them. Ella's nephew, Steve David Johnson,
also spent a lot of time on the farm. Wayne and Ella enjoyed attending square dances throughout the
state. They also enjoyed playing cards with the Mattesons and Lethems.

On May 6th, 1959, the marriage was blessed with the birth of their only daughter, Kelly Colleen. The
couple thoroughly enjoyed following their daughter and her friends throughout the years in their many
activities. Their door was always open to Kelly and her friends and it was not unusual to find a group of
them arriving Sunday morning for Ella's freshly made doughnuts.

Wayne and Ella supported the Phillips County Farm Bureau for many years and both served on the
board in the early sixties with Ella serving as the Board Secretary. Ella's college education was an
ongoing process and she was honored to receive her Bachelors of Education in May of 1975 from Fort
Hays State. Her pursuit of furthering her education did not cease in 1975. When she retired she was
only a semester away from receiving her Masters Degree. Due to Wayne's health, the couple held their
farm retirement auction in April of 1981 and Ella retired from teaching that same spring. The couple
resided on the farm until 1994 when they purchased a home in Phillipsburg.

Following retirement the couple rarely missed an event of which their two granddaughters were
participating in. They attended many hot softball games, travelled many miles to attend volleyball and
basketball games and never missed nine years of horse shows the girls participated in. Neither were
able to attend any of Kelcee or Paige's college softball games, but were always there with them in spirit
and expected phone calls with the updates of the games.

Nanny was the name given to Ella by Kelcee when she was a toddler. Through the years, no one called
her Ella any more - she was Nanny to everyone - young and old. Nanny enjoyed time with her
granddaughters, teaching them how to read and write and doing many, many hours of Math problems.
Many days were spent together working in the vegetable and flower gardens. They enjoyed their "girls
day out" trips to Hays and sometimes even to Salina just to shop and eat and talk. The girls spent many hours just hanging out with Nanny. Her main wish for her granddaughters was for them to fulfill their
college educations. Both girls did this and more. She was so proud of both of them.

When Wayne passed away on July 19, 2002, the granddaughters convinced her to move to Plainville to a
retirement community. She really missed Phillipsburg, but enjoyed being able to continue attending the
girls' activities and being close to them. When Kelcee passed away on September 1, 2003, Nanny's heart
was broken. But it was Nanny that held the bond to keep the family together through the sadness and
the heart-rending events to follow the next couple of years. She held steadfast to her beliefs and made
sure that everyone kept putting one foot in front of the other to move forward.

In the fall of October 2013, Ella's vision started to rapidly deteriorate due to Macular-Degeneration. She
admitted she needed help living independently. She chose to move to Whispering Pines Assisted Living
in Norton. She wanted to be close to her granddaughter, Paige and her husband, Jeremy and her new
great-granddaughter, Rory Layne. Ella was thrilled to be a Great-Grandmother and proudly bragged to
her new neighbors. In April, Ella was hospitalized and then again in May. This time her health rapidly
started to deteriorate. The decision was made that she once again would have to move. She agreed to
move back to Plainville to Redbud Village Estates.

Ella's health never did rally. She continued a steady decline as the months passed. Just two weeks ago,
Ella was having a really good day. So for Sunday lunch, John and Kelly along with Paige, Jeremy, and
Rory, treated Nanny to a Dairy Queen hamburger basket picnic on the patio at Redbud. Nanny enjoyed
the meal and time together so much. She talked and laughed and couldn't decide what tasted better-
the hamburger or the Pepsi!

Ella lived a very simple life. She was not the type of person who enjoyed a big crowd of people. She did
not mind helping someone out, but only if they made the effort to help themselves, too. She spoke her
mind when she felt the occasion necessitated it, but otherwise kept her thoughts to herself and then
distanced herself from the person or situation. She had a soft heart, but over the years she toughened
up as she realized there are those who can and will try to take advantage of a soft heart. As her brother,
Merrill said recently, "Ella was the matriarch of the family. She was the one we all went to, talked to,
and trusted. She was the one who always put our needs before her own." That pretty much sums up
who Nanny was, is, and always will be.

Ella was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne on July 19th, 2002; granddaughter, Weslea Paige
Lowry on October 11, 1981; granddaughter, Kelcee Nicole Lowry on September 1St, 2003; her parents,
Ralph and Laura Johnson; her Father-in-Law and Mother-in-Law, Floyd and Ruth (Loughery) Johnson;
Brothers, Buss Johnson and Stephen Johnson; Sisters, Louise and husband, Melvin Gitchel, and Marie
Callaway; Brothers-in-Laws and Sister-in-Law, Dean and Faye Johnson and Neil Johnson; and Sister-in-
Law, Loralei Johnson.

Survivors include daughter, Kelly and husband John Lowry of Plainville, KS; granddaughter, Paige Jordan
and husband, Jeremy Harding of Norton, KS; great-granddaughter, Rory Layne Harding of Norton, KS;
great-grandson, Nash Kyle Harding, scheduled to make his appearance on January 16, 2015; brother,
Merrill Johnson of San Diego, CA; Sister-in-Law and Brother-in-Law, Juanita (Johnson) and husband,
Clarence Gould of Arleta, CA; Sister-in-Law, Norma Johnson of Phillipsburg, KS; Sister-in-Law, Jerry
Johnson of Lincoln, NE; and many nieces and nephews along with their spouses, children, and
grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Thursday, Oct. 16, at 2:00 p.m. in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Joel Hiesterman officiating.

Visitation will be Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Fort Bissell Museum in Phillipsburg or to Andreson Memorial Park in Plainville.