Tina M. Johnston, age 61, of Odin, IL entered into eternity on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, peacefully from her home following a battle with lung cancer.
She was born on March 18th, 1963, in Two Rivers WI, the youngest of four children born to Albert and Joyce (Bartelme) Wetenkamp. She married Billie Joe Johnston in Salem IL, in January 2010.
She leaves behind her husband: Billie Jo Johnston; daughter Crystal (Joe) Van Wie; granddaughter: Natalie; and her brothers: Joe (Diane) and Allen Wetenkamp.
Tina was preceded in death by both her parents and her brother Mike Wetenkamp.
Tina grew up in Wisconsin and loved spending time at the racetrack helping and watching her dad and brother Joe race stock cars. She loved spending time with her father, Al, and absolutely adored him. Tina was a caretaker by nature and looked after her brother Allen, who is blind, for many years. She was also quite the handy woman, anything ranging from yard and housework to plumbing and electrical; there was nothing that Tina would not attempt to fix. She was an incredibly hard worker, and she always did the best she could to utilize what she had; that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be angered if she broke a nail though! Tina was always accepting of everyone and received others just the way they were. She never turned anyone in need away and would give anything she had if someone else needed it. Above all else, Tina fiercely loved her family, and she will be greatly missed by the many lives that she deeply impacted.
She had a deep love for animals and her house was never without many different kinds of them. She would always take in any stray animal and any human for that matter!
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family. They will be accepted at Sutherland-Rankin Funeral Home, 310 N. Broadway/PO Box 97 Salem, Illinois 62281, (618)548-1234, who is honored to be of service to Tina’s family, at this difficult time. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com or Sutherland Funeral Home’s Facebook page.
