Edna Johnson

Edna Johnson, 95, was born January 12, 1930 to Odle H. And Nora (Pedigo) Frisby in Mammoth Spring, AR. She passed away February 13, 2025 at The Village of Carroll Park in Grandview, MO.  Being born during the Great Depression, Odle and Nora Frisby moved their family several places, including Phoenix, AZ and several small towns in Missouri to try and find work. The family eventually settled in Wellington, MO where Edna graduated from high school. She furthered her education by attending business school in Kansas City. She worked for General Electric in purchasing for a number of years before going to work for nearly four decades for Social Security Administration as a benefit authorizer.

Edna had a dream to retire at Truman Lake. She designed and built her home with no debt. She was very skilled in painting, knitting, crocheting and sewing. She made ornate Christmas stockings for many babies throughout the years.

Edna was a life long member of the Church of Christ.  After she moved to Kansas City in 1955, she attended Grandview Church of Christ. When she retired and moved to Truman Lake, she went to Lincoln Church of Christ. After moving to Raymore, MO to live with her daughter, she attended SouthPoint Church of Christ.

Edna started teaching Sunday School when she was 13 years old. She was always looking for ways to make learning the Bible easier. While on vacation in Lubbock, TX, she observed a Cradle Roll class for babies. When she came back from vacation, she started gathering supplies to make it happen, and started what we believe was one of the first Cradle Roll classes in the area in the late 1960s, teaching several generations of families. She taught Sunday school until she broke her hip at age 80.

Edna always had a giving spirit and was one of the first to donate or volunteer when she saw the need.

Edna was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Phillip Frisby, Sr., Roscoe Frisby, and Kenneth Frisby. She is survived by her daughter, JoDell (Joseph) Kieffaber , Raymore, MO and son, Dale (Palma Ginger) Johnson, Kansas City, MO. She has four granddaughters, the oldest one who doesn’t want her name mentioned, Melissa (Grant) Smith, Overland Park, KS, Anna Johnson (Daniel Wagner), Kansas City, MO, Krista Johnson, Kansas City, MO. Great grandchildren, Cierra Syler, Lee’s Summit, MO, Caleb Palmer, Lee’s Summit, MO, Eva Smith, Overland Park, KS, Eric Smith, Overland Park, KS, great great grandson , Caelan Syler, Lee’s Summit, MO, “adopted grandchildren” Chastity and Allen Abbott and their daughters,  Hailey and Lottie, Lee’s Summit, MO, brother Lewis (Brenda) Frisby, Fontana, CA and sister, Elizabeth Ward, Lexington, MO, many nieces and nephews and a large church family.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.