Marilyn Johnson Obituary

Marilyn Louise Pritchett Johnson was born to Helen "Lucille" (Clouse) and Ralph Forrest Pritchett on a farm near Delphos, IA on Dec. 29, 1939. She joined sisters, Lois Irene, and Verna "Eileen". In 1944 brother Ralph Forrest Jr "Junior" and in 1955 brother Jerry Lee were born to complete their family.

Unknown to the Pritchett family, that same day the Orlo and Esther Johnson family of Mt Ayr welcomed their own baby boy, Theron Merle, who would later become Marilyn's husband.

In 1946, Marilyn's parents purchased Delphos farmland and began building a new family home. She recalled the family living for a winter in the basement of the home under construction and then a summer of sleeping in the "smoke house" with her sisters until the home was completed. She started school in Delphos, graduating 8th grade there, before graduating Mt. Ayr High School in 1958.

Her introduction to her future husband was in her freshman year of high school when the school made birthday announcements and she learned that someone named Theron shared her Dec. 29th birthday. Marilyn and Theron continued sharing and celebrating their birthday for the next 70 years. Marilyn and Theron married on May 25, 1958, at the Mt Ayr United Methodist Church. They had two children, Melanie Louise and Travis Theron.

The couple lived in Delphos initially and then purchased a farm in Redding where they lived until 1990, when they bought the Pritchett family farm in Delphos, remaining there to the present.

In the mid 1960's, at the urging of neighbor friends, Junior and Carmene James, they took square dance lessons from the Cloverleaf Square-Dance Club. They became active club members and square dance enthusiasts, traveling Iowa and Missouri with Theron a favorite dance caller and Marilyn his partner at his side.

Marilyn started work in 1959 at the Security State Bank in Mt Ayr and continued there for 42 years, retiring as Bank Operations Officer. Marilyn was one of the longest serving and valued employees at what is now US Bank. Marilyn's professional life was certainly not her only work, as she helped Theron with the year round hard work of crops and livestock on the Redding and Delphos farms. Most importantly, Marilyn was a devoted mother to Melanie and Travis, wife to Theron, and grandmother/great grandmother to eight. She balanced all of these roles with love and strength.

After retirement, she and Theron spent warm winters in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. They made many new friends and enjoyed time with other Ringgold County residents also wintering there, including her sister, Eileen. They also traveled to Alaska, took tours in Mexico, went on cruises and visited Niagara Falls.

Camping at the Iowa State Fair has been a family tradition since the 1970's and is looked forward to by all. In spite of her health issues, Marilyn made sure this year's camping reservation was sent in on time for her family to enjoy camping this year. Her absence will be felt terribly.

Marilyn was a member of the Mt Ayr United Methodist Church. She enjoyed ceramics, playing cards, her flower gardens, and grew the family's best tomatoes every year. Marilyn was a generous blood donor to the Red Cross, with a commemorative cup for being a 9-gallon donor. After retirement she volunteered for Hospice.

Marilyn passed away peacefully at home on June 22, 2025 surrounded by family. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Lois Mackey and Eileen Mason; brother, Junior Pritchett and infant great-grandson, Logan Richard McLaughlin.

Marilyn is survived by her husband Theron; daughter Melanie (Richard) Carlson, Coralville; son Travis (Brianne) Johnson, Oskaloosa; grandchildren David Carlson, Coralville; Lauren Carlson McLaughlin (Cody), North Liberty; Berit Louise Allen (Drew), St Peters, Missouri; Tyler Theron Johnson, Isaac James Johnson, Caroline Rose Johnson, Gideon Max Johnson, all of Oskaloosa; great-grandson Archer Fox McLaughlin, North Liberty; brother Jerry Pritchett, Clarinda; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Memorials are to the United Methodist Church in Mount Ayr.