Obituary of Reba G. Johnson

Reba Geraldine Johnson peacefully passed away in her home on July 10, 2017. She was born south of Burlington Colorado, on October 16th, 1927. She lived there, with her family until 1938, when her family moved to the San Luis Valley in Colorado where she attended school in Monte Vista. The family later returned to the Burlington area where she graduated from Burlington High School in 1946. In 1946, Reba married Alvin C. Johnson and from this union three children, were born: Anna Mae, Larry, and Bonnie; five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She was a member of Burlington Methodist Church. Reba and Alvin purchased a farm north of Burlington soon after they were married. It was a small acreage with only a small one room basement with no running water and no toilet facilities and only one spindly tree. Each time they added a child to the family they added on to the house and added running water, and of course, toilet facilities. They later increased the size of the farm when Alvin's parents passed away and so it became bigger. It became a yearly project to plant trees. At the present time there are many beautiful trees on the farm. Reba went to school at night to acquire more schooling. She worked many different jobs in Burlington throughout her life. She worked as a waitress both at the Montezuma Hotel and at Carpenters. Later, she worked several years at the Esch Lumber Company as a bookkeeper, and as a legal secretary at Richard Thomas Law Firm and then at the Miller Oil Company. Finally Reba retired from working in the community and worked only with Alvin on their farm. During the time she worked in the community, her wages were primarily used for groceries and to put food on the table. In addition to maintaing a full time job, she attended to the children and helped Alvin on the side. She helped milk the cows and took care of the pigs. She was the primary care giver to all of the furry little ducks, goslings, pheasants, guineas, peacocks, and wild turkeys that they hatched out. They returned many wild turkeys, pheasants, chucker, and quail to the wild. Later in their marriage, as the wild game increased on the farm she helped care for the deer, elk, buffalo, and bear. She fed the small animals that didn't have a mother on a bottle. She worked many long and hard hours. She is admired for her tenacity. Reba and Alvin left a great farming legacy. Over the years they raised registered Yorkshire hogs, registered Black Angus cattle, buffalo, elk, antelope, bears, yak, horses, Russian Boars and African sheep. They also raised many different species of wild birds such as pheasants, grouse, wild turkey, geese, guineas, peacocks, chucker, and many species of quail, just to name a few. They gave numerous no charge tours to the scouts, church groups, and schools. The Environmental Award presented by the Burlington Soil Conservation District in 2000 was presented to them in recognition of years of developing a diverse wild life community. They were a great advocate of soil conservation and in October 1972, Alvin and Reba were honored as being outstanding conservationists of the Burlington District. Reba and Alvin won the outstanding Farmer Award for leadership in Wildlife Habitats by the Burlington Conservation District. The Contributor of the Year Award for 1994-1995 was awarded to them for contributions to support at Dynamic Dimensions Inc. They ran a diversified farming operation in which there were five irrigation wells, as well as dry land farming, where they grew soybeans, sorghum, corn, alfalfa, and wheat. Proceeding her in death were her husband, Alvin C. Johnson, her father, Thomas Francis Warren; mother, Ivy “Wave” (Sivey) Warren; brothers, Francis Duane Warren, Arnold Richard Warren and sister, Ruth Arleen Giglio. She has one surviving sister Judy Blade of Winter Garden Florida and a sister- in-law Edna Warren of Kanorado. Kansas. Reba, can be remembered as the most remarkable, kindest, and loving wife, mother, and grandmother that we were all blessed to have known and felt her love. She was the true back bone of the Johnson Family. Although, Reba suffered from Alzheimer’s for over 20 years her Maker has reserved a special place in His kingdom for this special woman.