Lorna H. (Stutheit) Johnson, of Adams, formerly Beatrice, passed away on August 15, 2024, after many years of progressive dementia. She was born on her grandparents’ farm outside of Burr on August 7, 1935. Although she spent many a happy summer on that farm as a child, she grew up in Kearney and was “one of the busiest girls we know” in her senior year at Kearney High School according to a Kearney Hub newspaper article that fall. Lorna was a class officer, co-editor of the yearbook, and involved in band, choir and drama, graduating in 1953. She continued those “busy” tendencies for the rest of her life! 

Lorna attended the University of Nebraska and Bradley University, then taught 3rd grade for a year before starting her family. She married William B. (Bill) Johnson on August 22, 1954 and so enjoyed 56 years of marriage. They lived in Peoria, Illinois, where Bill played semi-pro basketball, Lincoln, Council Bluffs, and finally settled in Beatrice in 1965 with Bill’s State Farm Insurance agency. In Beatrice, she was involved with Beatrice Jaycees, Children’s Guild (The Bargain Box), including a stint as president, Garden Club, (another presidency), Fortnightly book group, Dorcas Society, the kitchen/funeral crew at St. Paul’s Lutheran, Stephen ministry at St. John’s Lutheran, and she always had at least two bridge groups going. She considered herself “chief volunteer” of the family.

Lorna always loved working with young children and was a class helper at St. Paul’s School and a volunteer with the summer reading program at the library. Her life’s work, though, was us, her children and grandchildren. Her house was always filled with books, as she loved reading, especially books about growing up on a farm. Lorna loved traveling but was a home body, enjoying the wildlife & birds after she & Bill moved to their final home southwest of town. She passed her gardening skills on to only one child, but she taught another to knit before it was fashionable! Lorna made a lot of our clothes when we were small, and then stopped at our earnest adolescent pleading. She showed up for everything for kids and grandkids, and attended Husker games with Bill & her sister-in-law, Margaret, for 50 years.

Lorna is survived by daughter, Lynne Cobb (Jim) of Seattle, Washington; son, Scott Johnson (Kelli) of Austin, Texas; grandchildren, Lisa Morrow (Brian) and Beth Harris (Jeff) of the Lincoln area, Shannon Hudson-Benash (Missy) and Stacey Benash of the Omaha area, Cosmo Reilly Cobb (Kate) of St. Louis, Missouri, Joanna Cobb of Seattle, Washington, Blake and Kendall Johnson of Austin, Texas; 13 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; sister, Martia Ohme (Dick) of Gig Harbor, Washington; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, William B. Johnson in 2011; her daughter, Lee Benash; son-in-law, Charles Benash; her parents, Bernhard F. & Freda (Schulte) Stutheit; and brother, David Stutheit.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at St. John Lutheran Church in Beatrice with Rev. Dr. Renae Koehler officiating. The service will be live streamed on the church’s Facebook page. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Home Cemetery in Beatrice. A family prayer service will be held at 10:15 AM in the church chapel. There will be no visitation. Memorials are suggested to the Bernhard F. Stutheit Memorial Scholarship at the University of NE Foundation in care of the mortuary. Condolences may be left online at www.harmanwrightmortuary.com. Harman-Wright Mortuary & Crematory in Beatrice in charge of arrangements.