Audrey Jean Toyne Johnson, 88, passed peacefully on Dec. 8, 2025, at Sienna Meadows Memory Care in DeForest, Wis.
A Visitation was held at Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, with funeral services immediately following. Interment was at Memorial Park Cemetery, Muscatine.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Alzheimer’s research would be most appreciated. You can donate at alz.org or alzfdn.org.
Audrey was born in Muscatine on Jan. 28, 1937, to Arthur and Frances Toyne. She loved her childhood and has said that, while poor in wealth, they were rich in family.
As a teen, Audrey worked as a waitress at Cole’s Drive In in Muscatine and would say down through the years that waitressing there was the one job she loved most.
After graduation from Muscatine High School, Audrey was united in marriage to Royal Johnson and embarked on her second favorite past time as a farm wife, raising her three children outside of West Liberty, which she enjoyed for 39 years. Following her divorce, she departed for a new, solo adventure; she moved back to Muscatine before settling in Wilton to be a full-time caregiver for her parents, which she excelled at. After their deaths, she moved to Sun Prairie, Wis., to be near her oldest daughter, Barbara.
The highlight of her life, her calling, her aspiration, however, was motherhood. On a questionnaire, when asked what her greatest achievement was, she simply replied: Mother and Grandmother. No voca-tion came higher for her than the care of others, whether in was her own children (or others that wandered onto the farm), her grandchildren or her parents. Her spirit soared when helping others.
Survivors include two daughters; Barbara (Dick) Kaalberg, LeAnn (Rick) Smith, siblings; Linda (Robert) Claussen, brother Richard (Shirley) Toyne, grandchildren; Kristin Johnson, Shannen (Cody) Johnson, Andrea (John) Franklin, Joshua (Brittany) Kaalberg, Lindsay Mills, Alyssa (Devan) Warnstaff, Tiffany (Will) Lacina, Dustin (Jessica) Smith, Jay Smith and great grandchildren; Dylan and Winry Warnstaff, Amber Corrick, Trey Slater, Kaylee, Cruz, and Ryker Lacina, John, Calib, and Halie Lilly and Grayson and Lucille Kaalberg, great-great grandchildren; Addilyn Kruger, Everett Corrick, Emberlyn Lacina and Nova Rose Stanley.
Audrey was preceded in death by her parents, two siblings, Shirley Windus and Kenny Toyne, her granddaughter, Lindsey Smith and her beloved son, David Johnson.
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