Marie Ann (Boron) Johnston

Mary Ann (Marie) Johnston, 85, of Chetek passed away Monday, May 15, 2017 at the Dove Health Care Home in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.  Mary was born the youngest of four children on August 20, 1931 in Chicago, IL the daughter of Paul and Victoria (Kukla) Boron.

Mary was raised in Bridgeport, south side of Chicago attending Catholic school and graduated from St. Mary Perpetual Help High School.  She then began a 20 year career at Illinois Bell and also worked several years at Illinois College of Optometry, and part-time at Comiskey Park.  She married William (Norman) Johnston.  They enjoyed dancing all over the Chicagoland and vacationing in Northern Wisconsin with their children, eventually settling on Ten Mile Lake, Chetek.

Mary was a very kind, gracious and generous lady who was an admirable (irreplaceable) cook and took pleasure in carrying on the tradition of her Polish background.  She enjoyed laughter, all music and dancing, especially Concertina Polka.  Spending time and traveling with her children, grandchildren and friends were highlights of her life, enjoying countless polka festivals, sights of Europe, Hawaii and U.S.  She cherished her grandchildren and being a grandmother. Her love, laughter and kindness will be missed tremendously. She was a very caring and loving, wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law and friend who was loved by all who knew her.

Mary was a member of VFW Auxiliary, Loyal Order of Moose, Chetek Homemakers Club, Red Hats Society and St. Boniface Catholic Church. Her family would like to express a very special thank you to Just Like Home, Chetek; Dove Health Care, Chippewa Falls and Rice Lake for their exceptional compassion, care and skills. Thank you for your friendships.

Mary leaves to celebrate her memory: son, Kenneth Janiszewski (Coletta Peterson), Chetek, WI; daughter, Judith (Brian); son-in-law, Chad Kuhl, grandchildren, Shauna and Evan Kuhl; nephew, Edward Shields, Dyer, IN; great nieces, Janet and Lynda Shields, great great niece, Devon Shields, great great nephews Jarret, Sam and Tadghe and other loving family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers Edward and John Boron, sister, Josephine Fisher, special niece Dolores Shields and her nephew Roger Fisher.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Boniface Catholic Church on Friday, June 16, 2017 at 11:00 A.M.  Visitation will be held at the Burnham-Ours-Kolstad Family Funeral Home on Thursday, June 15, 2017 from 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. and again on Friday at the church one hour prior to the service.   She will be laid to rest at St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery alongside her husband William.  Following the cemetery service the family invites their guests to join them back at the church for lunch and fellowship.

The Burnham-Ours-Kolstad Family Funeral Home of Chetek has been entrusted with arrangements.