Lowell Johnson

Return to Class of 1929

Lowell Johnson12/07/1991
Services for Lowell E. Johnson, 80, of Knoxville, who passed away Dec. 7, 1991 at the Knoxville Area Community Hospital, were held Dec. 11 at Evans-McCleery Funeral Home. Burial was in Graceland Cemetery.

Rev. Raymond Moore officiated at the services.
Music was provided by organist Jim Kidder. Casket bearers were Don Whisler, Eric
Fee, David Johnson, Michael Beckman, Joe Johnson and Curtis Fee.

Lowell was born on Sept. 13, 1911 in Des Moines, the son of Joseph Horace and Pearl
Eastburn Johnson. His family moved to Knoxville in 1918. He attended the Knoxville
schools graduating in 1929. He graduated from Iowa State College in Ames in 1933.

Lowell married Mary Ann Specht in 1938 in Ft. Madison. They moved to a farm south
of Knoxville where they lived their entire married life.

He had a lifelong interest in the preservation of wildlife and soil conservation. He was a leader in the development of no-till farming in Marion County and was active in many farm organizations.
He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church in Knoxville.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Craig.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann of Knoxville; four daughters, Mrs. Fred (Letha)
Beckman of Memphis, Tenn., Mary Ann of Boston, Mass., Genevieve of Des Moines and Mrs. Corwin (Carol) Fee of Knoxville; one son, Jim and his wife Terry of Van Meter;
two brothers, Carroll and his wife Edna of Knoxville and Milton and his wife Lillian
of Pompton Plains, NJ.; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; his sister-in-law,
Retha Johnson of La Grange, Ill. and many other relatives and friends.

Memorials may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., Hospice of Central
Iowa and the Knoxville Public Library.