Lena Mae Johnson

Lena Mae Johnson, daughter of John C. and Laura Catherine (Raines) Hasselquist, was born on May 18, 1898 at Malvern, Iowa. The family moved to Gregory, South Dakota when Mae was young and Mae attended school through the 10th grade. The family moved to a farm near Malvern, IA and Mae attended secretary school in Council Bluffs, IA. Lena Mae and Ronald A. Morgal were married and made their home in Council Bluffs. Following their marriage, Mae did secretarial work for her father-in-law at his plumbing shop in Council Bluffs. Mae and Ronald were blessed with one son, Ronald Gerald Morgal.
Lena Mae and Floyd Johnson were married in 1950 and moved to Winifred, Montana. Mae worked at the post office in Winifred and Floyd worked at a lumber company. They had been married only eight years when Floyd died on December 23, 1958 of Parkinson's Disease. Mae returned to Malvern in 1976 and lived next to her son, Jerry.
Mae was a homemaker who enjoyed quilting, crafts, china painting, playing Scrabble, playing cards, and working crossword puzzles. She loved entering sweepstakes contests and once in awhile had the good fortune of winning. Mae along with Clare Stevens cooked for the Senior Citizens and Mae also helped Jerry at the mini-mart. Mae loved her Bible and was a member of the Malvern United Methodist Church. She enjoyed spending many winters in Phoeniz, AZ with her family. Mae continued to live at her home until the age of 101 when she moved to the Tabor Manor in Tabor, Iowa.
Mae died on July 24, 2002 at the Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA at the age of 104 years, 2 months, and 6 days. Mae was the oldest living resident born in Mills County. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Floyd, an infant sister, brothers Harold Hasselquist and his wife Vola, Verner Hasselquist, Ernest Hasselquist and wife Ione, William Hasselquist and wives Lillian and Eulalie, and sister Gertrude Hewitt.
Mae is survived by her son Jerry Morgal and wife Doloris of Malvern, IA; granddaughters Gayle Richter of Malvern and Susan Miller and husband Dan of Tabor, IA; great grandchildren Shana Richter, Shawn Richter, and Ryann Miller; great great grandson Tye Austin Johnston; and sister-in-law Alice Hasselquist of Webb City, MO; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.