Irene Johnson

ROCHESTER Irene Johnson, 93, died Thursday, January 15, 2015. Irene was born October 7, 1921, to Anton Poczyk and Margaret (Horvath) Poczyk in South Bend, Indiana. Growing up, Irene loved books and had planned to be a librarian. However, following the advent of World War II, she saw an ad in the local newspaper saying that nurses were sorely needed. Being a patriotic person, she decided then and there to become a nurse. She completed her RN degree at Wesley Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. It was there that she met her future husband, Dr. Carl E. Johnson, who was a medical student at Northwestern University. They married in 1946 and in 1948 they moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where Dr. Johnson joined the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mayo Clinic. In Rochester Irenewas an active volunteer in several organizations including the St. Mary's and Methodist Hospital volunteer auxiliaries, where she worked with the teen volunteers and with the hospital library. Irene devoted her life to being a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and her family loved her dearly. Irene is survived by her two daughters, Carolyn (Gary) Benson, Rochester, and Gail (Erik) Ibele, Madison, Wis.; andson, Carl Johnson, Sarasota, Fla.; four grandchildren, Anthony (Jennifer) Benson, John Benson, Christoph (Kelly) Ibele and Karin Ibele; and two great-grandchildren, Caden and Brady Benson. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Al (Hazel) Posick, her sister Margaret (Al) Gerencher, twin stillborn brothers, niece Merilee Benson, nephews Ron and Tom Gerencher and her beloved husband of 64 years. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2015, at Autumn Ridge Church. Visitation will beone hour before the service at the church. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Autumn Ridge Church or charity of your choice.