Beatrice Johnson (1935-2022) was part of Rachel’s Women Circle and Wright Elementary School

Beatrice L. (Reimer) Johnson, 87, was a lifelong residence of the Beloit, Wisconsin area. She attended Powers Grade School and was a 1953 graduate of Hononegah High School. She later attended the University of Wisconsin Rock County and Blackhawk Technical College.

Beatrice passed away peacefully at home on February 25, 2022. Her family is grateful that she was able to quietly slip away, reunited with her loving husband, Richard I. Johnson.

She was born on January 12, 1935, in Beloit, Wisconsin, the daughter of Clarence and Clara (Moe) Reimer. She was always proud to be called “one of the Reimer girls.”

Most of her 20-year career with Beloit School System, which she considered her most meaningful job, was spent as a teacher’s aide for Wright Elementary School.

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For more than 50 years, Bea was part of Rachel’s Women Circle, connected to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Beloit, where she was a lifelong member. Her children say, "Beatrice’s faith was her most important and all encompassing character trait." She served on many committees for both the church and the city. She continued as a volunteer until about three years ago. She wanted to remain useful and helpful, so she continued to help her Circle cut fabric pieces that others would sew into quilts. She also helped deliver Meals on Wheels in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Through the years Beatrice looked forward to spending time with her family. Most of her family met once a week. Originally, it was Sunday afternoon and potluck supper, then it became "dominoes and dessert" on Friday’s nights and for quite a few years now, it has been Saturday morning for breakfast.

In her younger years Bea enjoyed camping with her family. Countless times, several families camped all together. Her children have many happy memories of riding bikes on state trails, and a few times of riding horses on private trails. They recall, "We camped almost every weekend, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend... boating, canoeing, inner tubing, swimming, catching, cooking and eating tons of crayfish and various fillets of fresh caught fish. I can almost smell the smoke of a campfire. There was always plenty of great food to eat and share. There was also snowmobiling on some of the state trails and/or frozen creeks and rivers in the winter."

Survivors include her children, Raymond J. (Jane) Johnson, Richard P. (Stephanie) Johnson, Helen, Nancy, and Robert M. Johnson; grandchildren, Megan Johnson, Jared Johnson, Shayne Jackson, Scott Hasner, Matthew Johnson and Claire Johnson; honorary granddaughter, Stephanie Ingram; great-grandchildren, Didrik Honey, Trinity Johnson and Hayden Johnson; siblings, Kay (Frank) Bullard and Linda (William) Knipp; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bernard (Ruth) Rosander, Judy (Phil) Reimer, Clarice “Claire” (Dennis “Den”) Jensen and Rev. Sonja Johnson.

Beatrice was predeceased by her husband; parents; siblings Betty (Melvin) Katterhenry, Carol (Harold) Mason, Mary Ann (Jack) Holmes, Ruth Rosander, Lee Joe Reimer and Phil Reimer; brother-in-law Raymond M. Johnson; two siblings that died in infancy: David Reimer, five weeks old, in 1930 and Arlene Mae Reimer, six weeks old, in April 1932; a niece, Jennifer Holmes; and a nephew, David Bullard.

A funeral service for Beatrice will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2022 in the Daley Murphy Wisch & Associates Funeral Home and Crematorium, 2355 Cranston Rd., Beloit, WI, with Pastor Tony Dusso officiating. Beatrice and Richard will be laid side by side at Floral Lawn Cemetery. A Visitation of Remembrance will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service Saturday in the funeral home.