Mae Lillian Johnston

Mae Lillian Babst Johnston went to her heavenly home on Friday, August 9, 2024. She passed away surrounded by her daughter Connie, grandson Eric, and granddaughter-in-law Lisa in her home in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

Mae was born November 23, 1926 in Monson Township, Minnesota to her parents Karl and Clara Babst. She was the fifth daughter out of seven girls. Mae was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Monson. Growing up on the farm she had a pet lamb named Billy and a calico cat and helped out with feeding the chickens.

Mae graduated high school in 1944 from Wheaton High School. She was a cheerleader and played basketball which she lettered in. In 1945 she left Wheaton and moved to Grand Forks to work for Armor Meatpacking, living with her older sister Dorthea.

After the war, Mae met her life-long love Jay C. through a coworker from the plant. They dated four months and married in April of 1946. They became the proud parents of Connie Mae in the spring of 1947. The young family then moved to Des Moines, Iowa for one year, and eventually settled in Newton where Jay C. got a job at the Maytag washer and dryer plant as a welder. Mae worked as a waitress in the Maytag Hotel. 

In 1957 Jay was offered a job with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation, and they moved to Long Beach, California. Mae got a job at Continental Can Company working in the paper plate and cup division on an assembly line. She stayed there for thirteen years before retiring. Jay C. passed away in 1980 while at work from a sudden unexpected heart attack, prompting her and her daughter, Connie, to move back to Minnesota with a young two-year-old Eric in tow. 

Throughout her life, Mae enjoyed growing plants and flowers, and traveling with her daughter and grandson. She was an avid follower of golf, tennis and football on tv. She also was an excellent home cook and loved doing the crossword puzzles in the Sunday paper. After moving back to Minnesota, her greatest joy in life was raising and loving her grandson, Eric!

Mae is survived by daughter Connie Mae (Johnston) Petersen; grandson Eric (Lisa) Petersen; sister Dalla Beyer; and many nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Karl and Clara Babst; husband Jay C. Johnston; sisters: Ruth Jensen, Leona Hartjen, Dorthea Beyer, Helen Beyer, and Della Cawelti. 

Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 14, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. Prayer Service at the Gearhart Funeral Home in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Visitation will continue Friday, August 16th from 10:00 a.m. until noon at the Bainbridge Funeral Home in Wheaton, Minnesota, followed by a Graveside Service at Wildwood Cemetery in Wheaton at 1:00 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to the: Coon Rapids Fire Department Relief Association (% Treasurer, 3150 111th Avenue N.W., Coon Rapids, MN 55433)