Faye E. Johnson, 80, of Lake Andes

Faye died Friday, February 29, 2024 at Lake Andes Senior Living Center. Memorial services will be 11 AM, Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at St. John's Catholic Church in Wagner, SD. Inurnment will be in the St. John's Catholic Cemetery, rural Wagner. Visitation will be 5-7 PM, Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at the church.

Faye Elanor Cihak was born September 30, 1943, in Wagner South Dakota. She was the daughter of James A. and Ella (Piroutek) Cihak. It was said that Faye was born so premature that the doctors gave her a drop of whiskey to keep her alive and put her in a shoebox on top of the cabinet under the lights to keep her warm.  She passed away on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at the Lake Andes Senior Living.

Faye received her early education at the Lonetree Schoolhouse in Dante and eventually graduated from Wagner High School in 1961. After graduating from high school, Faye worked as an operator for  Northwestern Bell Telephone Company.

At the age of 22, Faye was united in marriage to Rodney Johnson at the B.V.M. Catholic Church in Dante, SD on November 27, 1965. A son and daughter were born to this union.

Faye was a stay-at-home mom until the kids were in junior high. Then, she held various jobs like working at Buches, being the VFW Manager, and a dispatcher for Houseman Trucking.

When the kids were grown, Faye got her CDL and trucked with Rodney for many years for Houseman Trucking and V&S Trucking until retiring in 2007. Since then, Faye worked nights at the Wagner Hotel until retiring in 2019. She lived on the family farm until April 2023, when she moved to the Lake Andes Senior Living.

Faye was lovingly known as Fay Fay by her niece, Jackie.  She loved to visit with her good friends, Chuck and Sandy Eitemiller, have her standing Friday rolls and coffee date with Larry and Sharon Johnson, and making ice cream malts with her grandchildren. Faye will be remembered for her love of her children, grandchildren and of all animals including her puppies; Tiny and Toby. She enjoyed sewing, spending time with her family and friends, and enjoying a few cold ones while playing cards. Faye had a close bond with her sister, Shirley. There was always a lot of laughter and many adventures when they were together.

Thankful for having shared her life are her children: Brian (Kathy) Johnson, Lake Andes, and Stacy (Chris) Moore, Urbandale, IA; eight grandchildren Alex (Vanessa) Evans, Joe Evans, Baylee, Claire and AJ Johnson and Katelyn, Gabey and Kinnick Moore; two great-grandchildren Liam and Kip Evans; sister: Shirley Soukup of Lake Andes; brother-in-law: Larry (Sharon) Johnson, Lake Andes; sister-in-law: Sharon Cihak, Wagner; and many nieces and nephews.

Faye was preceded in death by her husband, Rodney Johnson; her parents; parents-in-law, Herman and Vera (Dunn) Johnson; brother, Larry Cihak; brother-in-law, Lawrence Soukup; a niece, Jackie Brecke; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Donald and Betty Johnson and Evelyn and Ed Faller.