The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Meet Your Neighbor

MELISSA JOHNSON

Meet your neighbor, Melissa Johnson, of rural La Harpe. She was raised in Blandinsville, the daughter of Lee and Lynne Ward. She has one brother, Jeremy. He and his family live in the St. Louis area. Her grandmother is Marilyn Ward of Macomb.

Melissa graduated from Northwestern High School in 1997. She earned bachelor's degrees from Western Illinois University and Iowa Wesleyan. In 2015, she earned her Master's in Elementary Education from Western Illinois University.

"Mrs. Johnson", as most of us know her, is beginning her 13th year at La Harpe Elementary School. She has taught several different grade levels, but after six years in Kindergarten, she moved back to First Grade last year.

Melissa is married to Andy Johnson. He farms, raising cattle and hogs as well as growing crops.

They have three children. Wyatt is 17 and will be a senior at Illini West. Abbie is 14 and will be a freshman at Illini West. Olivia is 11 and will enter the 6th grade this year at La Harpe Jr. High.

Melissa says her hobbies are helping out on the farm, going to all of her kids activities which include sports and showing cattle!

This summer they went on a family vacation to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina for her cousin's wedding.