Alene Johnson
Alene Johnson, 79, of North Sioux City, South Dakota died on Jan.15, 2021 in Mercy Hospital in Sioux City, after battling COVID-19.
Funeral Services will be held at a later date. Private Burial will be at McCook Lake Cemetery in North Sioux City, South Dakota. Waterbury Funeral Services of Sioux City is assisting the family with arrangements.
Alene Avilla Brant was born in Anthon, Iowa to Vern and Molly (Myers) Brant a week before Pearl Harbor, November 30, 1941. She grew up on the family farm east of Anthon and graduated from Anthon High School in 1959. She began college at Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa, before taking a job as a legal secretary in Sioux City.
In addition to secretarial jobs, she owned the Corner Drive-In and the Homestead Cafe in Anthon for several years.
She also sold Tupperware and Avon for many years. She finished her college Bachelor’s Degree at Westmar College and substitute taught. She worked in the Sales Department, Legal Department and Accounting before retiring from Gateway Computers in North Sioux City, South Dakota.
After retiring she continued gardening, cooking, raising chickens and other animals on her acreage, and volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop in North Sioux City and the Bargain Center in Sioux City.
She also cared for her oldest son, Paul, prior to his death from cancer in 2014. She married Wayne Keitges on Dec. 31, 1960. They had four children: Paul, Marvin, Joseph, and Nancy. She married Vince Johnson on August 4, 1983.
Survivors include two sisters: Shirley (Roger) Nelson of Anthon and Linda (Murray Harris) Brant of Charles City, Iowa. Surviving children are Marvin (Jane) Keitges of Jackson, Nebraska; Joseph (Jennifer) Keitges of Ames; and Nancy (Toby) Straight of Moncks Corner, South Carolina. Her ten grandchildren include Celesse (Daniel) Ashburn and Nick Keitges of Virginia; Brett (Sarah) Keitges of Odessa, Texas, Jennifer (Ryan) Radke of Aurelia, and Erin (Shane) Michael of Sloan; Sam Keitges of Des Moines, Lilly Keitges of Lexington, Ky. and Charlie Keitges of Ames; Alex and Zack Straight of Moncks Corner, South Carolina; eleven great-grandchildren; and her dearest friend and longtime companion, Darrell Boettger.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Paul Keitges, and both husbands.
