Ivan Howard Johnson, 98, passed away peacefully at home in Appleton, WI on January 5, 2015. Ivan was born in Eau Claire, WI on July 6, 1916 to the late Joseph and Thea (Odegaard) Johnson.

Ivan graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1934 and worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps following graduation. He proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945. Because he had experience in food service, he was made a cook and then was assigned to manage several mess halls. He soon attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. While stationed at Camp Crowder, MO he met Lona Mae Cather. They were married on August 26, 1944 at First Methodist Church in Miami, Oklahoma.

Following the war, Ivan returned to Eau Claire and worked at Myher's Market, eventually owning the business. In later years, he worked as a meat cutter at several Eau Claire stores including Kerm's and Pick 'n Save. He retired in 1984.

Ivan loved reading, especially Westerns and historical non-fiction and spent countless hours listening to audio books when his eyesight began to fail. He also loved gardening, lapidary and especially relaxing and fishing at Lake of the Pines in northern Wisconsin. He was a life-long member of First Lutheran Church in Eau Claire.

Ivan is survived by his children: Jean Bohn, Choctaw, OK; and James (Debra) Johnson, Appleton, WI; granddaughters: Deena (Brett) Byers, Shawnee, KS; Jennifer (Chad) Fulton, Oklahoma City, OK; and Amy (Colby) Horn, Platte City, MO; great-grandchildren: Chloe Byers, Cade, Avery and Daxton Fulton; Karlye, Colton, Hudson and Gunner Horn; and honorary granddaughter Donna Wolf (Little Chute, WI).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lona - they enjoyed 68 years of marriage until Lona's death in June of 2013; his parents, Joseph and Thea; his brother, Joe; sisters Margaret Miller and Theresa Matson; brothers-in-law Frank Miller and Bill Matson; sisters-in-law Lois Johnson and Betty Richardson; and son-in-law John Pointon.

The family extends a special thank you to Mia DiMatteo, Ivan's caregiver in Appleton; and to Janel Schieffer, his caregiver in Eau Claire.

Visitation will be held beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 9, 2015 at the Chapel in First Lutheran Church (1005 Oxford Avenue, Eau Claire) until the time of the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery.

Those wishing to honor Ivan's memory with a memorial are asked to consider First Lutheran Church of Eau Claire.