Jana Rae Johnson, a beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on April 4, 2026, at the age of 64 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
Born on May 7, 1961, in Centralia, Illinois, the daughter of Gerald “Jerry” Ring and Darline (Bierman) Ring, she resided in Lebanon, IL.
Jana graduated from Centralia High School and continued her studies at Kaskaskia Junior College. She dedicated many years of her professional life to the healthcare industry and later enjoyed a fulfilling career with the US Postal Service, where she worked until her retirement in 2013. Jana’s vibrant personality was reflected in her love for fashion, particularly her passion for clothes and shoes, and her heart was deeply connected to music. Whether dancing or singing, Jana expressed herself with a joyful abandon that inspired those around her. In recent years, she found a passion for football, cheering enthusiastically for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jana and her family loved to travel and camp together, and later she brought Terry into the family and the love of traveling. Together, they made memories of hiking the Grand Canyon and swimming in the ocean. Jana really enjoyed making apple butter with family and friends, doing cross-stitch, crafts, and decorating. Over the years, Jana kept many of her lifelong friends from her old neighborhood, school, and workplaces. She was a baptized member of the Faith Methodist Church and later, along with her family, joined Demaree Church.
Above all, Jana cherished her family, especially her nieces and great-nieces and nephews, who brought her immeasurable joy. She leaves behind a loving legacy, survived by her devoted husband, Terry Johnson of Lebanon; her mother, Darline Ring of Centralia; and her sister, Jerri Kay Sprehe and her husband, Doug, of Lebanon. She was a beloved aunt to Emily and Chris Rader of Waterloo, Janelle and Jon Snyder of Waterloo, and Mackenzie and Dylan Felgenhauer of Patoka. She treasured her great-niece and nephews, Avett Snyder, Henry Rader, and Sutton Felgenhauer. Jana also leaves behind cherished sisters and brothers-in-law, Christine Holler of Tampa, Florida, Jay Dee Johnson and wife Rae Ann of Salem, Illinois, and John Holler and wife Suzanne of Hobbs, New Mexico, as well as several other nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her father, Gerald “Jerry” Ring; mother and father-in-law, Mona and James Johnson; and grandparents, Harold and Leona Ring and Elmer and Clara Bierman.
The celebration of Jana’s life will take place with a funeral service on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia, officiated by Pastor Anthony Sweeney. A visitation will be held the same morning from 11:00 AM until the time of the service at the funeral home, with burial to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Centralia. In lieu of flowers, Jana’s family requests memorial donations to the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Foundation and/or the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, which will be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home, located at 235 North Sycamore Street, Centralia, Illinois 62801, which is honored to be of service to Jana’s Family. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com and through the funeral home’s Facebook page.
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