Obituary

Stan Johnson, 61, of Grinnell, died on Friday, May 2, 2025 in Grinnell.

A funeral service will be held 10:30 AM, Thursday, May 8, 2025 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. The family will receive friends at the visitation held prior to the service beginning at 9:30 am at the Smith Funeral Home. A private family interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.

Memorials may be designated to the Grinnell Tiger Booster Club and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Stan’s family online at www.smithfh.com.

Stan was born on November 15, 1963, in Grinnell, Iowa to Fred and Patricia Peak Johnson. He grew up in Grinnell with his two older sisters, Gigi Burkett (Johnson) and Michelle Greiner (Johnson). He graduated from Grinnell High School in 1982, where participated in football and wrestling, and was homecoming king. He went on to continue his football career at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska where he double majored in Sociology and Human Behavior. It was there Stan met Sandra Johnson (Lincoln) and went on to have two girls, Sara Johnson and Amber Utt (Johnson).

Stan spent more than 30 years as a social worker where he actively provided services to those who needed it. Stan enjoyed spending his time with family and friends or out enjoying a ride on his Harley. Stan loved the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs, or the underdogs. However, everyone who knew Stan knew his purpose in life was to raise and provide for his two girls. Stan passed on his work ethic and love for sports to his daughters which kept them busy all the way through college. Stan’s happiness and purpose multiplied when he became a grandpa. This chapter in Stan’s life was his greatest accomplishment, watching his girls become moms while getting to enjoy quality time with his grandkids. Stan continued with the tradition of attending all his kids and grandkids sports and activities up until he passed.

Stan is survived by his mom, Patricia Johnson of Grinnell; his two sisters, Gigi (Rick) Burkett, and Michelle (Greg) Greiner; his children, Sara Johnson of Adel, IA and Amber (Austin) Utt of Adel; five grandchildren, Kyra, Koda, Lucas, Riley, and Gracie (who he loved spending his retirement years with); stepdaughter, Jessie (Brenda) Anderson of Grinnell; aunts, Jean Kinnaird of Grinnell and Darlene (Jim) Shope of Toledo, IA; uncle, Robert Peak of Grinnell; and 27 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Fred Johnson; uncle, Wendell Kinnaird; and cousin, Mike Shope.

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