Alice Genevieve "Gen" Johnson

     Alice Genevieve “Gen” Johnson, 90, of Britt, passed away Saturday, July 23, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa in Mason City.

Funeral services for Gen Johnson will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at 2:00 pm at the Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West, in Britt with Father Elliot Blackburn and Pastor Joel DeBoer officiating.  Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 one hour prior to services at the Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West, in Britt. 

Alice Genevieve “Gen” Johnson, the daughter of Albert and Annie (Lewis) Bower, was born September 12, 1920 in Mason City, Iowa.  She attended schools in Mason City and started working at SS Kresge while in high school, during the Great Depression.  Gen worked there for a few years before getting married.

Gen was united in marriage to Harold Johnson on September 29, 1941 in Maryville, Missouri.  She then entered into the Civil Service so that she and Harold could be stationed together at Fishers Island, off the Connecticut coast.  Gen was a dietitian at an Army Hospital.  After the war ended, she became chief of stock records at the ordinance where she and Harold were stationed.

When Harold was discharged, Gen returned to Britt with him where they started building houses.  In 1951, they built and managed the skating rink in Britt for three years, all the while continuing to build houses.  In March of 1954, they were blessed by the birth of their only daughter, Terri.

In 1961 the couple purchased the Bayside Resort at Leech Lake near Walker, Minnesota and ran that until selling it three years later.  They returned to Britt where they once again remodeled houses.  In 1991 Harold and Gen bought and remodeled their current home in Britt.

Gen was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Mason City.  She enjoyed roller-skating, bowling, crossword puzzles, word games like Scrabble, math puzzles and fixing almost anything people brought to her that may have been broken.  Gen loved to spend time with her family, especially during holidays and Hobo Day weekend.

Gen is survived by her husband of 70 years Harold of Britt; daughter Terri Lauderback of Britt and her special friend Gary Wilcox of Spencer; granddaughters:  Lia Lauderback of Moses Lake, Washington and Alissa Lauderback of Britt; sister-in-law Ruth (Keith) Palmer of Sac City; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters:  Doris Marson, Lucille Elsie Peterson, Stella Parks and Joanne Ruth Francis; brother Albert Bower; son-in-law Garo Lauderback; along with other in-laws, nieces and nephews.