Mary Jo Johnson, age 73, died peacefully on Wednesday, October 23. Visitation will be held Friday, November 1, 2024 from 5-7 p.m. at Isburg Funeral Home in Pierre. The funeral service will be Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 10 a.m. at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre.

Mary Jo was born on July 12, 1951 to Ed and Bev Clausen. She grew up in Clark, SD with her siblings, John and Peggy, and enjoyed the small-town life of kids playing yard games and climbing trees to read books. She learned to play the piano and the clarinet in elementary school and continued to perform throughout her life. She graduated from Clark High School in 1969 and the University of South Dakota in 1973, where she met the love of her life, Laurence Johnson.

After college and marriage, they moved to Menno, SD so both could teach music. They continued to teach at Clark/Henry, SD and finally in Pierre, SD. Mary Jo and Larry both started teaching at Pierre Junior High and introduced their students to the worlds of music and theater. Mary Jo eventually moved to Buchanan Elementary School to teach until her retirement in 2008.

Their family grew with the birth of two precious sons, Chris and Tom. The boys grew up with many summers being filled with Black Hills Playhouse experiences as their parents worked there. At Black Hills Playhouse both music and costume creation were Mary Jo’s fortes.

Family was so important to Mary Jo as she enjoyed having extended family together anytime with food, card games, puzzles, kids and competitive lawn games.

Mary Jo was part of her community in many different arenas. She was the faithful accompanist for the Ss. Peter and Paul Folk Group for 40 years and the South Madison Street Blues vocal jazz group for 25 years. Mary Jo was very active in Pierre Players as both a director and a clarinetist in many pit orchestras. She also played in the Over Forte Big Band Orchestra, the Dixieland Band, the Capitol City Band, the Lama Jedi Quartet, a Woodwind Quintet, and the PEO Chapter CS Saxes. Her clarinet prowess was also used in recordings by her family and friends.

Larry and Mary Jo traveled to Europe four times with the Midwest Ambassadors of Music as chaperones and teachers. Chris and Tom both enjoyed that experience with their parents. Mary Jo also served as the entertainment coordinator for Christmas at the Capitol for several years. She was a member of PEO for many years and was always eager to promote women’s education. She also enjoyed the dear friendships she nurtured playing golf, bridge, handbells, and Mah Jong. She was an avid reader and a sender of cards. She remembered the birthdays and anniversaries of all her dear friends.

She was a master knitter and made beautiful cable knit sweaters for her family and friends, as well as baby hoodies, scarves, and mittens. Her fingers were always busy with cooking, baking, knitting, sewing, quilting, reading, gardening, or making music. We will miss her many talents and gifts but most of all her giving heart and tender smile.

Those who continue to be grateful for her life are her husband, Larry; sons, Chris (Andrea Moore) Johnson and Tom (Parker Genne) Johnson and granddaughter, Noma Juell; brother, John (Carol) Clausen; and sister, Peggy (Don) Lindsay; nieces, Heather (Josh Redetzke); Robyn (David) Bauer; Allison (Nathaniel) Petrich; and Katie ( Patrick ) Farrens; sisters-in-law, Linda Bartholemew, Cindy Foreman and Misha Johnson; brother-in-law, John (Liz) Johnson.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Ed and Bev Clausen; her in-laws, Juell and Helen Johnson; and her nephew, Jeff Lindsay; brothers-in-law, Jim Johnson, Tom Bartholemew and Scott Foreman.

In lieu of flowers donations to the Capitol City Band, Pierre Players, or Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre in her memory are appreciated.

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