Rose James 1936-2026

Rose Marie (Johnston) James was born December 7, 1936, in Kansas City, KS and passed away at Mt. Ayr, IA on August 20, 2026, at the age of 89. She was the third child, and only daughter, born to George Wesley and Marjory Guthrie Johnston.

Rose grew up on the farm south of Mt. Ayr, and the family attended the Hickory Grove Church close to the farm, where Rose developed her lifelong devotion to God, sustained throughout her life by the hope of Christ’s resurrection. Rose and younger brother Allen walked three miles to and from the one room country schoolhouse, or rode double on their horse, Trixie. On her 5th birthday, Sunday December 7, 1941, her oldest brother, George, was in the navy and stationed at Pearl Harbor during the historic Japanese bombing but did not speak of it until years later to his grandchildren. She attended High School in Mt. Ayr, graduating in 1954, and because she had an interest in nursing as a possible career, she took Latin classes. She was also a member of the Sunshine Workers 4-H Club growing up and then a leader of that same club in the 1980’s. Her career plans were altered after meeting Bus (Oral) James.

Rose and Bus were married on June 14, 1954, in Cedar Falls, IA, where Rose’s mother Marjory was living as Marjory finished her education degree at the Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa). She married into a family of three girls –Ardith, Virginia and Judy James. They moved to California where Bus was employed as a Correctional Sergeant at the San Quentin Federal Prison. During their time in California, all four of their children were born: Dennis, Darrell, Susie and Kevin. During this time Rose also took several business classes at Modesto Junior College. The family enjoyed weekends on the Tuolumne River, fishing trips, and baseball games.

In November 1967, having purchased 80 acres of the original Olney family farm from her brothers Neil and Allen Johnston, Rose and Bus and the family moved to Iowa. Neil flew to California and drove the straight truck Bus purchased to help with the move and all the belongings were loaded into the truck and car, along with Rose, Bus, Neil, the four kids and the dog and cat. One year later, after completing an addition onto the farmhouse, which included an enclosed porch, laundry, and a lone bathroom, the plumber got the washer, toilet and sink faucets working on Christmas Eve 1968. Rose always said she never had a better Christmas present, as the outhouse had been used the entire first year.

The Johnston and James Farms operation rapidly expanded, with acreage added and a dairy established. Neil’s farm, with their parents George and Marjory, was located one mile south of Rose and Bus, with “Gramps 80” in between also belonging to the family. Their Grandmother Bertha Olney Johnston had been given this middle 80 from her parents George and Rachel Olney. Neil had also bought an 80 to the south of his place, and there was the James farm, three miles southwest. For several years beef cattle were driven between farms past the family church (Hickory Grove) before stock trailers became available. Over the years Johnston and James Farms raised sows and finished hogs, laying hens, beef cows and feeder calves, row crops, oats and wheat, and hay.

But the centerpiece was the dairy, as from the beginning genetics were mapped and continually improved. The milk was picked up by Swiss Valley Farms, and Johnston and James Farms consistently was awarded production volume and quality awards. She was also especially proud of her home place – the Olney Farm qualifying as a Heritage Farm in 2026 signifying 150 years of continuous family ownership along with “Gramps 80” being a Century Farm and the James farm qualifying as a Century Farm in 2029.

Day in and day out, morning and night, Rose was in the dairy barn doing the milking, usually with Neil alongside and kids helping. She did other farm work and chores, in addition to keeping the household running, raising her family, and entertaining family guests including the older girls and their families – Ardith, Virginia, and Judy and their families and friends with summer barbeques. She always raised a huge garden canning tomatoes, green beans, jelly, pickles and freezing corn. Her grape jelly was a favorite, winning blue ribbons at the county fair. She also was a quilter, a skill that had been handed down through the generations. She made beautiful quilts all hand stitched for her family. A few she shared at various quilt shows which usually had a story attached. One in particular was made from blocks cut from feed sacks saved by her Grandmother Bertha, if one can remember those days.

Rose missed very few Kansas City Royals games, either on the radio in the barn or in later years on television. She was a Sunshine Workers 4-H club leader, taught Sunday school and played piano at Hickory Grove Church, was active on the county dairy board, volunteered as a cook at the Camp Wilderness Church Camp in southern Missouri for many years, and faithfully attended grandkid’s ballgames and other activities, and all family events as her schedule and health allowed. For many years she wrote the Hickory Grove news column for the Mount Ayr Record News. She would call the neighbors on Monday evenings and then write the column and drive it to town the next day, For the last 20 years she enjoyed winters in Mission, Texas but had to be home before spring calving season.

Rose loved to host family and friends, especially when beds and kitchen table were full of people. Visitors were always encouraged to stay longer, as not long after arriving, they’d be asked by Rose “Are you staying overnight?” Thanksgiving dinner at the farm was a family tradition year after year. Gatherings with grilled hamburgers, steak, and hot dogs were a summer highlight. No matter her workload, she always had time to spend with visitors. “Sit down and have a cup of coffee” was a saying heard often from Rose, and it was never optional! Dinner was a spread of home-cooking that could feed a threshing crew, and her apple pies for dessert being a special treat. She never avoided telling you exactly how she felt about your behavior or what she thought needed to be changed! Though tough and at times gruff, she always said that no member of her family would ever be homeless as long as she was alive, as there was always room at the farm. Rose will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

She is survived by daughter Susie (James) Catanzareti (Joe) of Mt. Ayr, son Kevin James of Mt. Ayr, sister-in-law Sandra Johnston of Norwalk, grandchildren Joe (Lindsey) Catanzareti of Mount Ayr, and Jena (Corey) Shadden of Villisca, … great-grandchildren Adrian Joseph and Joslyn Catanzareti and Ila Shadden, and many nieces and nephews. Also, family members of her stepdaughters Ardith, Virginia, and Judy; Judy’s daughters Linda Hesse and Beth Hesse-Morgan and son Mathew Ramsey; Virginia’s son Clifford Arnold and wife (Kerry) and their children.

She was preceded in death by her parents George Wesley and Marjory Guthrie Johnston, husband Oral “Bus” James, brothers George, Walter Neil, and Allen, sisters-in-law Jane Johnston and Irma Johnston, sons Dennis and Darrell James, nephew Darren Johnston, great-grandnephew Hunter Johnson and her three stepdaughters Ardith and daughters Sheila and Sharleen; Virginia and daughter Debbie, and Judy.

Services were held at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa on Friday, August 28, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Burial was in the Hickory Grove Cemetery, south of Mount Ayr. Memorials are to the Advent Christian Church Camp Wilderness.