Service of Remembrance for Edith Marie Johnson, 100, of Hettinger, ND will be Monday, November 21, 2005 at 10:30 a.m. at the Grace Evangelical Free Church in Hettinger. Her grandson, Rev. Garry Weems will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the services at the church on Monday morning.


EDITH MARIE JONES was born August 6, 1905 in Branson Township, Missouri to Major Jefferson and Ruthie Francis (Barry) Jones. Edith married William Orville Weems in 1921 in Stella, Missouri where their son, Orville LaVaughn "Von" was born in 1922. The Weems' moved from Missouri to California sometime in the early 1920's.


During the Second World War, Edith worked at Douglas Aircraft in Southern California, among other things, saving gas stamps to send to her Air Force SSgt. Son, who was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio; where he met his wife, Patricia.


Edith married Earnest Johnson in 1945, and as his health deteriorated, she cared for him in her home and in the Hillcrest Care Center in Pasco, Washington for the last 12 years of his life; 1967 to 1979. She moved from Pasco, WA to LaMesa, CA in 1992 to live with her sister, Juanita Jones. Upon Juanita's death in 1994, Edith moved to Hettinger, ND, living in the Saunders apartments until entering the Hillcrest Care Center in 1996.

She finished her pilgrimage here on earth November 16, 2005, at the Hillcrest Care Center at the age of 100 years.

"Grandma" Edith loved to read her Bible; teach Sunday School and help with youth work (in her younger days), cook (sometimes having a roast beef, a turkey and a ham at the same meal, for special occasions); garden, sew, crochet, and be a friend to many. Edith was a beloved member of the Grace Evangelical Free Church in Hettinger, ND.

Grateful for having shared her life are her daughter-in-law, Patricia Weems, step daughters-in-law, Jane Smith and Patricia Johnson; grandsons, Rev. Garry (Delores) Weems, Don ( Audrey) Weems and Mike (Ruth) Weems; four step-granddaughters, two nieces, several grand nieces and nephews; five great grandchildren and ten great-great grandchildren. Preceding Edith in death were her parents, her husbands, William Orville Weems and Ernest Johnson, her son, Orville "Von" Weems, step-son, Dave Johnson, her siblings, Ernest, Maggie, Charles, Bertha, Chester, Juanita, an infant sister, infant twin brothers and one great grandson, Michael Weems.