Date: 3/28/26 9:14 am From: Rita Goranson <ritag...> Subject: [ia-bird] Ann Johnson
I didn't know Ann well. I would see her at IOU functions and we would visit briefly. However, I know that she was more than the computer or site expert. She actively birded, chased bugs, and attended functions as much as possible. She came north several times on prairie forays when we had activities and led one outing for us. Years ago, Curt Nelson could find a goshawk nearly every year in the Green Belt (before snowmobilers were allowed in). We were to host an IOU Saturday to look for the goshawk. Our weather up here is so different from the Des Moines area. We had feet of snow on the ground, not inches. Ann and one other person showed up for the outing. Ann had either forgotten her boots or simply thought they weren't needed. So, she followed us through the Green Belt in the deep snow in everyday shoes. Curt was merciless in looking for the goshawk, and eventually we saw it, but I would guess that Ann had a time warming her feet up afterwards.
When the northern hawk owl was seen in Manly, Iowa, Ann was in Phoenix visiting her son. She kept hoping the owl would stick around, and it did. She called me and said that she was flying back to Des Moines. Was the owl still there. I said "yes". Then would I stay with the owl until she arrived? I did. She arrived at the last possible minute to see the owl before it took off to hunt for the night, having driven over two hours. With good looks under her belt, a few words about her vacation, off she went to head back to Des Moines to recuperate from her vacation!
We would chuckle about this when we met up again! Ann lived life to the fullest!
