Dolores M Johnson

MCFARLAND - Dolores M. Johnson, age 98, of McFarland passed away on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at Oak Park Place Madison East. The daughter of Elmer and Barbara Bavery, she was born May 29, 1927, in Verona.

Paoli was Dolores’ childhood home. When Dolores was 10, Elmer was tragically killed in a car accident. But Barbara, who was in the car with Elmer and nearly died herself, was incredibly strong and tough. She worked very hard to support and raise her daughters Dolores, Ruth and Joan. Family members enjoyed listening to and learning the stories of Dolores, Ruth and Joan’s life and adventures in Paoli, especially of their time on the farm. There would always be much laughter during the reminiscing.

Dolores was very proud of her Swiss heritage. The family were farmers in a small Swiss village and were very musical. When Barbara was 10, she and her family immigrated to America, and when they left on the long, difficult journey, Dolores’ grandmother somehow secretly smuggled the family’s cowbells on board. While Dolores never returned to Switzerland, she always held it close and she loved the music the family brought with them. They played the cowbells, zither and accordion, and sang and yodeled. Barbara’s younger sister, Sadie, whom Dolores adored and who helped Barbara after Elmer died, even yodeled with Wisconsin polka bands. Ironically, Sadie was the one sibling born in America.

Dolores married Clayton (Bing) Johnson on February 1, 1947, in Dubuque, Iowa. They briefly lived in Cottage Grove, Clayton’s hometown, but soon moved to McFarland, where they lived and raised six children: David, Deborah, Gary, Gregg, Dianne and Amy. Dolores continued to live in McFarland after Clayton’s death in 2004, until 2018, when Alzheimer’s necessitated a move to Assisted Living and later Memory Care at Oak Park Place.

One of Dolores and Clayton’s favorite activities together was playing cards with friends and family. Dolores also loved watching (and rewatching) old movies, something she passed along to her children. She also enjoyed going to the theater to see musicals and plays. Later in life, she continued doing so by asking a friend to join her on bus tour outings.

Dolores and Clayton had numerous travel adventures with family, especially enjoying road trips with Ruth and her husband, Ken, and Joan and her husband, Jim. They were so fortunate to have been able to take the trips and enjoy the time spent together.

Dolores worked at Copps in Monona for some time, then as an LTE at the State of Wisconsin, and finally retired after 10 years as a full-time administrative assistant for the State of Wisconsin in 1990.

For many years, Dolores was an active member in the Priscilla Church Circle at McFarland Lutheran Church, making many friends. Dolores also bowled for several years, both with Clayton and separately on women's teams. In her later life, Dolores became a daily walker, continuing to walk even after she moved into Assisted Living and Memory Care. Her caregivers were amazed at her frequent walking up until almost a year before her death.

Dolores is survived by sons, David Johnson, Gary (Trudi Witonsky) Johnson and Gregg (Suellen) Johnson; daughters, Deborah (Terry Rauch) Johnson, Dianne (Jack) Radcliffe and Amy Johnson; grandsons, Oliver (Kaitlin) Radcliffe, Maxwell (Courtney) Radcliffe and Benjamin Radcliffe; great-grandchildren, Lucas Radcliffe and Jordan Radcliffe; and sisters, Ruth Flanagan and Joan Root. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clayton; her parents, Elmer and Barbara; her stepfather, Roy Blum; and her brothers-in-law, Ken Flanagan and Jim Root.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Oak Park Place, Agrace HospiceCare, and My Choice Wisconsin for their care and support of Dolores. The family would also like to thank caregivers Dr. Amy Groff, Teri and Dennis Gapp, Beth Martinez, and the many others who cared for and supported Dolores over the 10 years she fought against the cruel effects of Alzheimer’s.

A memorial service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 12 noon on Friday, March 27, 2026. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, 2026, and from 11 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday.
 

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association Wisconsin Chapter (www.alz.org/wi). Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420