Marlene Freds Johnson, 86, formerly of Miami Township, Greene County, Ohio, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, February 10. 2023 at The Preserve of Beavercreek. She was born and raised on her family dairy and grain farm in rural Rockcreek township, Wells County, Indiana. An avid reader, student, musician, painter, and seamstress, she was also a 4-H grand champion with her livestock. Although her family and relatives were for generations farmers, she aspired to be the first in her family to go to college. After graduating valedictorian in her class from Rockcreek High School in 1953, she was accepted at Indiana University, obtained her bachelor's degree in psychology in three years and went on to be one of the first females accepted at IU's medical school to study psychiatry. There she met and married her first husband, John Urschel of Valparaiso, Indiana, had two children, and moved to Chicago, Illinois. She moved back to her family's farm with her children after divorcing John in 1963 and worked as a clinical counselor at Caylor-Nickel Clinic in Bluffton, Indiana. In 1971 she married Capt. Robert Johnson of Dayton, Ohio, and moved with him to his next military assignment in Makaha, Hawaii. She grew to love the detailed and intricate art of Hawaiian quilting, making several beautiful Hawaiian quilts during this time. In 1973 they moved with the Air Force to Los Angeles, California, where Bob and Marlene were very involved in the college/career ministry of their local church, and Samuel was born. In 1978 with Bob's next assignment at Wright-Patterson they purchased a small farm outside of Yellow Springs, Ohio, where Marlene returned to her farming roots, raising livestock, canning fruits and vegetables from a large garden and orchard, and quilting and crocheting blankets. She was very active in the Yellow Springs Christian Association, where she organized a weekly community children's program and a community children's vacation Bible school. She was also active in the Dayton Gospel Mission, making and serving meals weekly for the needy in Dayton. Later in life she became very involved in politics, and worked for years with the state legislature to revoke the inheritance tax in Ohio, which she saw as a threat to the survival of family farms and businesses. She was a strong advocate for the rights of unborn children, and worked tirelessly to promote and elect representatives and judges who would advocate for them as well. She loved God and her Savior Jesus Christ, enjoyed weekly Bible studies and prayer times with her friends, and serving the needy in her community. As God had been generous with her and was her friend, so she was generous with and a friend to all. Although many physical challenges slowed her down in her last years, her love for her Lord, her family, and her causes never wavered.

She is survived by her brother John Freds of Rockcreek Township, Wells County, Indiana; daughter Carla Barrett of Fort Wayne, Indiana; sons Will (Kim) Urschel of Xenia, Ohio and  Sam (Mei Liu) Johnson of Broomfield, Colorado; grandchildren Daniel (Keira), Kate (Ryan), Andy (Haley), and Nathan; and great grandchildren Genevieve, Wyatt, Lorelei, Sullivan, Henry, Caroline, and Charlie, all of whom she loved dearly. She is preceded in death by her parents Dan and Ruth Freds and her husband Lt Col Robert Johnson.

Memorial services will be held at 2pm on March 25 at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1120 South Detroit Street, Xenia, Ohio. The interment will be held at a later date at the Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the Greene County Right to Life, P.O. Box 373, Xenia, OH, 45385.  Condolences may be left for the family at www.NeeldFuneralHome.com.