Obituary of Sylvia Johanneson

Sylvia (Wood) Johanneson passed away peacefully of natural causes on January 13, 2022. Sylvia was born August 15, 1936 in Pine City, MN. The smartest kid in the class for most of her life, she won a scholarship to the University of Minnesota where she received a degree in speech therapy and met her husband, John. A lifelong learner, Sylvia embraced poetry, pottery, languages and singing, eventually earning a Master’s in adult education. Sylvia used her academic training and natural talents as a committed volunteer and joyous grandmother who delighted in concocting intellectually stimulating yet grounding activities for her beloved grandchildren. She spent her adult life near the Mississippi River and loved to walk with friends, visit Minnehaha Falls or dip a toe into the “healing waters of Lake Nokomis.” Sylvia’s lifetime included remarkable good fortune, punctuated by heartbreaking accidents that took many loved ones too soon. Through it all, Sylvia maintained her vivacity, inspiring and supporting the people around her to make the most of their lives. Sylvia was loved by many and will be greatly missed. Preceded in death by son John, husband John, sister Elaine Piel and parents Bernard and Mildred Wood, she is survived by daughter Sarah Clark (Whitney), daughter-in-law Lisa Grueneberg (Jim Tokarski), grandchildren Grace, Sophie, Peter, and Danny, and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life with family and friends will take place in the spring.