Johanna Hahnlein, November 22, 1922 to February 10, 2021, age 98, of Glendale, California, passed away suddenly but peacefully. Her life was filled with adventure and her passion for conversation.
Johanna was born in the farmhouse her grandfather built in the small town of Waizenbach, Germany. She graduated high school in 1936 from a neighboring town and would help out on the family farm after school. She continued her education by taking classes in bookkeeping, cooking, and sewing. Johanna also sang in the local Lutheran Church.
During World War II, she became efficient in collecting, organizing, and sending donations to soldiers. Her work ethic caught the eye of the mayor. He asked her to become his assistant. This included being the town’s bookkeeper and distribution of rationing stamps. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she served under three mayors. In 1945, her town was bombed briefly and several fires were started. Fortunately, her home survived.
When she arrived in Glendale, California, in 1957, she married her sweetheart and has lived here ever since. She was a step mother to Eugene, Richard, and Caryl. She was an avid golfer. She and her husband joined the Chevy Chase Country Club. She hit three holes in one during her golfing days. Her husband, Henry Hahnlein, owned a local manufacturing company and Johanna would frequently help with bookkeeping, parts assembling, and other odd jobs.
Johanna loved to sing and was a member of the Damenchor Frosinn out of Alpine Village in Torrance. She was also a long standing member of the Glendale Women’s Athletic Club. She enjoyed playing Bingo while at Windsor Manor, an assisted living facility, and was quite good at knitting and crocheting. She had an energetic attitude and a genuinely loving demeanor.
She is survived by her brother, Hermann, her stepson, Eugene, and several grandchildren and nieces. Johanna’s family would like to thank friends and extended family for their support and kindness during her stay at Windsor Manor. Her family will celebrate her life privately. May she rest in peace.
