Wilma-Jo-John-93345

Obituary

Wilma Jo John, 73, of Burlington, died at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Born August 9, 1934, in Cincinnati, Iowa, she was the daughter of Howard and Iva Marie Wages Ross. On October 4, 1952, she married Wayne D. John in Bloomfield. Mrs. John attended Ottumwa High School, received her G.E.D.. and in 1973 received her Associate of Science degree in Nursing from SCC. Before nursing she was a seamstress for Johnson and Rasmussen; she then worked as a nurse at Burlington Memorial Hospital, Burlington Care Center, Maquoketa Jackson County Hospital, and Klein Center of Burlington Medical Center before retiring at the age of 65 in 1999. Mrs. John was a member of First Presbyterian Church and V.F.W. Women's Auxiliary. She enjoyed crafts, crocheting, knitting, needlepoint, singing, painting pictures, bowling, boating, fishing, water skiing, camping, reading and telling stories to neighbor kids. She was a Sunday School teacher at the former Faith Presbyterian Church, taught crocheting at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids and was a Cub Scout den mother. Survivors include her husband, Wayne Dale John, Sr. of Burlington; four sons, Wayne Dale John, Jr. of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Rick Lee John and Randy Jay John both of Burlington, and Jeffrey Alan John of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina; one daughter, Tonya Lynne John-Hahn of Burlington; 11 grandchildren, Kathy Jo, Kasey Ann, Kristopher, Cristina, Derick, Amber Teea, Kimberly, Jennifer Jo, Jessica and Emily; 10 great-grandchildren, Kyle, Kody, Kolton, Kaleb, Kit, Collin Krista, Andrew, Logan and Garret; three sisters, Lorrena Bell of Rock Island, Illinois, Erma McGhghy of Ottumwa and Pauline Shields of Buena Park, California; and two brothers, Joseph "Joe" Ross of Macon, Missouri and William Ross of Des Moines. Her parents, one daughter Teresa Jo John in infancy and three brothers preceded her in death. A memorial has been established for the family.