Mary "MJ" Jane Johnson

Mary Jane Johnson (“MJ”) of Kansas City, Missouri passed away at her home on Friday, June 2, 2023, after acquiring a C-Diff infection in January. She was 67 at the time of her death.

Mary was born to Delmar and Ruth Mary Johnson. She was the second girl, the fifth of six children. Known as the “fun aunt”, she loved spoiling her nieces and nephews and always looked for an excuse to take them to the pool, an amusement park, or to eat something with more sugar than their parents would approve of.

She was a bright light and generous spirit who never met a stranger. She fiercely loved her family and friends and was a consistent supporter of whatever made them happy. Mary lived life to the fullest and was always up for an adventure, whether it was parasailing in Aruba, skydiving in Hawaii, or being the first one on the dance floor. As a manager, her employees quickly turned into lifelong friends. She was known for being the office party planner and was always up for happy hour.

Mary is survived by her family: Pamela Henning and Shaylee Henning, siblings Patricia (Randy) Belden, Charles (Renie) Johnson, Rick (Tam) Johnson, and Kevin Johnson. While Mary shared a special relationship with many family members and friends, there were a few that she was exceptionally close to. She thought the world of her sister Patricia Belden, her adopted family: Jo Ann Jacobson, Jean Henning, her “4 Henning kids”: Chris, Jaime Otto, Joe, and Craig. There were multiple other special people in her life, but that list would be too long to mention.

Mary was preceded in death by her mother Ruth Mary Johnson, father Delmar Johnson, brother Ron Johnson and sister Penny Penigar.

Even though Mary was taken too soon, she lived an extraordinary life surrounded by people who adored her. Please join us as we celebrate Mary on Saturday, June 17th from 3pm – 5pm at Park Lawn Funeral Home in Liberty, Missouri. In true Mary fashion, her family asks you wear your brightest colors (bonus points for wearing her favorite, orange!) and be comfortable (if your outfit requires dry cleaning, that is far too fancy 😉). A few of Mary’s favorite things were a cold beer, a perfectly grilled Wisconsin brat and having a good time with friends in the driveway, so we’re going to continue the celebration following the service. You are all invited to Mary’s home to celebrate her life the way she wanted: together.