Mae M. Johnston

March 10, 1931 - August 21, 2019

Mae Johnston, 88 Kearney resident Mae Johnston, 88 of Kearney passed away Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at her home in Kearney. Memorial services will be 11:00 AM Saturday, August 31, 2019 at First Lutheran Church in Kearney. The Rev. Dr. Michelle Holley Carlson and Rev. Dr. Rick Carlson will officiate. Inurnment will be in the church columbarium. The family will receive friends 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney. Memorials are suggested to First Lutheran Church, Shared Campus Lutheran Ministry. Condolences may be shared online at osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services of Kearney. Mae was born March 10, 1931 in Holdrege, Nebraska to James and Edith (Carlson) Johnston. Mae was the youngest of seven children. She was raised in Holdrege and attended Little Giant, Urbom School in Phelps County and graduated from Holdrege High School. On May 30, 1950, Mae was united in marriage with Carl B. Johnston, Jr. in Las Vegas, NV. To this union 6 children were blessed. The couple made their home in Kearney before moving to Bellevue, NE where they owned and operated Johnston's Steamway of Bellevue. They later moved to Omaha where Mae managed deFreese Manor. Following their retirement, Mae and Carl returned to Kearney. Mae was a longtime member of the First Lutheran Church where she participated in the Women's Trio and choir, coffee club and circles. At Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church in Omaha she was a past president of WELCA and active in the circles. She was leader in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts serving as a Den Mother for several years. Mae enjoyed volunteering at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She loved traveling and visiting friends. Mae and her husband crossed the country by car many times over and traveled abroad. Left to cherish her memory are her sons, Bernard (Sharon) Johnston of Bellevue, Carl (Kim) Johnston lll of Oviedo, FL, Bill (Patricia) Johnston of Centennial, CO and John Johnston of Kearney; daughter, Sharon (Jim) West of Omaha; 13 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild; as well as, many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. Mae was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl Johnston, Jr.; daughter, Susan Counsell and all her siblings.