Johnson, Joanne 1928 - 2020

Born Joanne White Thom

as on November 2, 1928,

in Grove City, to H.K. and

Donna Thomas. Childhood hardships included the death of her mother, living with several different relatives and a bout with pneumonia. Graduated from Grove City High School in 1946 and married

George Purtee in 1949, later having two beautiful daughters Donna Sue and Karen Lou. Worked at The Farm Bureau in

Columbus, for Philco in

Sandusky (soldering early televisions), for the Ceramic

Society in Columbus, and retired from Columbus City

Schools after 21 years as school secretary. She was a long-time member of Maize

Manor United Methodist

Church. After George’s as a single Western Square and Round Dancer, belonging to Bucks & Does in

Columbus and Little Brown

Jug Singles in Delaware, being Council Reps and secretary and eventually

President of LBJ, along with dancing everywhere she could. LBJ is where she met Mark Johnson. They started as dance partners and became steady dates, leading to 27 wonderful years of marriage. Mark &

Jody danced all over the country, became dance leaders and published central Ohio’s “Cues & Tips” square dance magazine for 21 years. She danced up until her 92nd birthday/

Halloween party/dance at the Gillie Senior Center.

Jody is preceded in death by her parents Homer and

Donna Thomas; brother

Donald Thomas; and her first husband George. Jody is survived by her loving husband Mark; sister

Emma Jeannette Wilson; step-daughter Barb (Al)

Deuble; step-grandchildren,

Keith (Rachel) Lemley and

Denise Lemley; daughters,

Donna (Randy) Hafey and

Karen (Quinn) Schwartz; grandsons, Matt (Becky)

Reed, Gabe (Cris) Schwartz,

Wes (Erin) Reed, Nick

Schwartz and amazing great-grandchildren Aidan,

Nadia, Quinn, Taylor, Layla,

Evie and Sammie. Mom/

Grandma/great-grandma/

Jody was well-known for having quiet strength, high pain tolerance, good sense of humor and great love.

Even after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis she continued to dance, and was happy and sociable and funny, even if she couldn’t remember your name. The way she lived should be an inspiration to all. After being lost for several years, she found her way home peacefully on

November 19, 2020. Jody’s family will receive friends from 1-3pm on Sunday

November 22, 2020 at

SCHOEDINGER NORTH, 5554 Karl Road, Columbus, where the funeral service will begin at 3pm that afternoon. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s research, https://act.alz. org/site/donation. Guests are respectfully asked to wear a mask and attendance will be monitored to ensure safety for everyone attending. Please visit www.schoedinger.com to watch the live streamed funeral service or share a memory with her family.