Wanda Lou Price Johnson, 76, of Ava, Missouri, passed away peacefully on April 21, 2025.
Wanda was born on November 24, 1948, in Ava to Doy and Clara Emogene (Frye) Price, her proud parents.
On November 25, 1964, Wanda and Johnnie Johnson were united in marriage. Johnnie and Wanda raised four children.
Wanda was a devoted and selfless mom to her brood, making sure they never wanted for anything. As the family moved across Missouri, Wanda held jobs as a homemaker, bank employee and secretary in an insurance office.
Upon their return to Ava, Wanda opened Country Casuals, a clothing store on the north side of the Ava Square.
When the grandchildren began to arrive, they were loved beyond measure. Wanda was a great cook and hosted many meals at their house for the kids and grandkids. Johnnie and Wanda both valued family.
For her fiftieth birthday, Johnnie persuaded her to visit old friends in Acapulco. From that trip forward, she had the travel bug. For the next 15-plus years, Wanda and Johnnie traveled extensively. They journeyed up and down the East Coast, visiting dear friends from Alaska to California to Arizona and Mexico. One of her many adventures was tandem skydiving in Arizona for her sixtieth birthday.
Wanda is preceded in death by her husband of over fifty years, Johnnie Johnson; parents, Doy and Emogene Price; her sister and brother-in-law, Brenda and Daymon Milligan; her firstborn grandson, Brett Riley Crewse, and great grandson Fisher.
She is survived by her children: Jo Johnson and Eddie Phillips, Julie Taylor, Jennifer Johnson, and James and Tara Johnson; her grandchildren: Emily Crewse, Chase and Katrina Taylor, Hailey and Bryce Beeler, Tyler Johnson and Katie Hodges, Rachel and Connor Canape and Arizona and Josh Gaines; and her great-grandchildren: Kasen and Trace Beeler, Jaxon and Josie Taylor and Constance. She would have loved to have met Oliver Canape, who is making his appearance in July. She is survived by her brother and sister in-law, John and Kathy Borawski. A multitude of brother and sister-in-laws and many cousins, nieces and nephews also survive her.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, MO from 10- 11 a.m., with a private family graveside service following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Ozark Food Harvest, St. Jude’s, or Quilts of Valor in Wanda’s honor.
