Mary Ellen Johnson

                Mary Ellen Johnson, 96, of Libby, MT passed on peacefully into the arms of Jesus with her family by her side on Monday, August 16, 2021 at Home Sweet Home in Eureka, MT.  She was born March 12, 1925 in Muncie, Indiana to Benjamin and Frances (Kern) Applegate.  As a young girl, Mary sang on the radio with her father.  They were sponsored by a bread company and this helped support the family during the depression.  She moved to Montana in 1940 and in 1941 she married James Ellis Johnson in Kalispell, MT. 

                Mary was a busy woman.  Most importantly, she was a wife, mother and tutor.  She was an electrician, plumber and a seamstress.  Mary was a General Contractor, responsible for over 40 homes in the Libby area.  At age 70, Mary got her GED with honors!  She had been a member of the Church of God, Nazarene Church and most recently, Libby Christian Church.  Mary’s family stopped her from cleaning her own chimney at age 80 and grounded her from the riding lawn mower at age 90! According to her late husband, she baked the best pie in Lincoln County.  Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband James Johnson; brothers Ed Applegate, Gene Applegate, Paul Applegate, Joe Applegate and Duane (Bud) Applegate; sisters Teola Hazen and Joan Croucher; and grandsons Craig Geil and James Geil. 

Survivors include her children Carolyn Alsbury of Libby, Richard James Johnson of Wrangell, AK and Robert E. (Bobby) Johnson of New Smyrna Beach, FL; sisters Phyllis Hansberry and Linda Arnold; grandchildren Debbie Brookshire, Chad Allen, Jayson Duszynski, James Johnson, Ben Johnson, Chris Johnson, Detrik Johnson, Rochelle Brown, Vicki French, Ericka Simmons; and MANY great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.  Services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 30, 2021 at Libby Christian Church, 100 Kootenai River Rd.  Visitation will be 1-5 p.m. Sunday, August 29, 2021 at Schnackenberg Funeral Home in Libby, MT.  Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.

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