Margaret Besore Johnson of St. Charles

A graveside funeral service for Margaret Besore Johnson, 94, will be held at noon today, at Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview, Ill. Born Dec. 27, 1909, in Urbana, Ill., the daughter of Isacc and Grace (nee Kearns) Besore, she died Thursday, May 13, 2004, at her beloved homestead.

When Margaret was a child, her father made a wagon for her. It was pulled by her pet ram named Billy. She was a University of Illinois graduate majoring in Botany. Margaret married Everett "Cracker" Johnson after he proposed to her as she was plowing a field.

In 1935, they moved to St. Charles. She was an antique dealer in the St. Charles area. Margaret loved flowers and farming, and she built a rock garden and fish pond with a waterfall on the homestead property. Her husband, Everett, died in May of 1967.

Contributions in Mrs. Johnson's memory may be made to the Anderson Animal Shelter, 1000 LaFox, South Elgin, IL 60177, to H.E.L.P., 1427 Orion Road, Batavia, IL 60510 or to the Salvation Army, Tri-City Corp., P.O. Box 3939, St. Charles, IL 60174. Arrangements were made by Norris Funeral Home, St. Charles. Friends may visit www.dailyherald.com⁄obits to express condolences and sign the guest book. For funeral information,(630)584-2000 or www.NorrisFH.com.

Submitted by: Dick Kearns