Johanna Ahern was born at Wayne, Nebraska, on March 16, 1882, the daughter of Irish immigrants Maurice Ahern and Sarah Groves. She was raised in Wayne, where her parents operated millinery (women’s hats) and dry goods stores. She attended Wayne Normal School (later Wayne State College), graduating in 1902. She also attended the University of Chicago.
Johanna worked for a time teaching in Union County, New Mexico, and in 1910 was married to Harry A. Smith, who was working as a farmer in the same area. They had three children while they lived in New Mexico, prior to moving to South Dakota in 1915. They had three more children during their time in South Dakota.
Harry and Johanna moved again in 1927, taking their family to Mankato, Minnesota, where Harry worked as a salesman for the National Refining Company. On October 15, 1931, Harry was struck by a car as he was crossing a street in Mankato; a week later he died. After Harry’s death, Johanna remained in Mankato for several more years and then moved her family to Minneapolis. She later moved to Santa Monica, California, where her daughter was living.
Johanna died at Santa Monica on July 1, 1975. Funeral services were held in California and interment was at Calvary Cemetery in Mankato. Johanna was survived by her daughter Elizabeth (Bernstein); and three sons, Maurice, Joseph and Philip. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by 10 sisters and brothers; also two sons, John and James.
Johanna Ahern was born at Wayne, Nebraska, on March 16, 1882, the daughter of Irish immigrants Maurice Ahern and Sarah Groves. She was raised in Wayne, where her parents operated millinery (women’s hats) and dry goods stores. She attended Wayne Normal School (later Wayne State College), graduating in 1902. She also attended the University of Chicago.
Johanna worked for a time teaching in Union County, New Mexico, and in 1910 was married to Harry A. Smith, who was working as a farmer in the same area. They had three children while they lived in New Mexico, prior to moving to South Dakota in 1915. They had three more children during their time in South Dakota.
Harry and Johanna moved again in 1927, taking their family to Mankato, Minnesota, where Harry worked as a salesman for the National Refining Company. On October 15, 1931, Harry was struck by a car as he was crossing a street in Mankato; a week later he died. After Harry’s death, Johanna remained in Mankato for several more years and then moved her family to Minneapolis. She later moved to Santa Monica, California, where her daughter was living.
Johanna died at Santa Monica on July 1, 1975. Funeral services were held in California and interment was at Calvary Cemetery in Mankato. Johanna was survived by her daughter Elizabeth (Bernstein); and three sons, Maurice, Joseph and Philip. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by 10 sisters and brothers; also two sons, John and James.
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