Rachel Renee Johnson Jatzo, age 52, was welcomed into heaven with family by her side on November 30, 2021 at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, MN. She was born on July 26, 1969 at the United States Darnall Army Hospital in Fort Hood Texas but grew up in Maple, WI.

Rachel was third born to Roger and Wanda Johnson and baby sister to Wendie and Michele.  She had 3 children, Alexander, Elizabeth, and Nicholas, who were her treasure.  She gave her all to raising them. She loved them more than anything and would do anything for them.  Then came her 3 grandchildren, Leonardo, Payton, and Jordan.   Her biggest smiles came from holding those babies.  Rachel's children and grandchildren were her life; they were her world.

As a child, Rachel loved playing with her sisters, cousins, pets, and getting dirty.  You'd rarely see her without a baseball cap on.  She'd even sleep in it sometimes.  She loved being outdoors.  Her childhood was filled with days in the yard, field, woods, and the stream down the hill from her house.  Chopping up a chub with a plastic knife or finding a dead mouse in her coat pocket was not unusual.  Rachel was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed being in the garage tinkering on things.

Rachel graduated from Northwestern High School in 1987.  Following high school, she attended WITI in Superior and received her CNA.

Early on, Rachel had a love for her garden, farm animals, and pets.  She raised the biggest chickens and turkeys you'd ever seen.  Her garden was quite remarkable.  She did a wonderful job caring for it all.

Rachel was the most caring and giving person you'd ever meet.  She found joy in giving to others.  If you needed something, and she had it, she would give it to you.  When she cooked, she cooked BIG.  You were certain to be full after eating at her house.

For a decade Rachel was a CNA and helped care for the elderly to help make their lives better.  Then she worked at a preschool helping special needs children.  Her patience and kindness spilled out everywhere she went.

Rachel grew up learning about Jesus and the importance of a personal relationship with Him.  She re-dedicated her life to Him years ago to have a closer walk with Jesus.  The joy she must have had when she stepped into Heaven and Jesus hugged her and said, "Welcome Home."

Rachel's last conversation on this earth was about her children.  They are who were on her mind.  They are who she was concerned about.  She loved them unconditional with all her heart.

Rachel is survived by her parents, Roger and Wanda Johnson of Maple WI; sisters, Wendie (Dennis) Johnson of Solon Springs WI, Michele (Michael) Jones of Wauseon OH; three children, Alexander (Elizabeth) Jatzo Superior WI, Elizabeth Jatzo of Iron River WI, and Nicholas Jatzo of Iron River WI; grandchildren, Leonardo of Superior WI, Payton and Jordan of Iron River; nephew, Karac (Angela) Johnson of Wauseon OH, and niece, Scarllette (Jacob) Gombash of Delta OH; great-niece Averii Gombash, and great-nephews Grayson and Tucker Gombash of Delta OH; and several other aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Rachel's celebration of life will be held at Grace Baptist Church, 4810 S Bear Paw Road, Iron River, WI, on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Graveside service will directly follow at Pine Glade Cemetery in Oulu, WI with a luncheon at Grace Baptist church to finish.

A heartfelt thank you from the entire family to the nurses, doctors, and the hospital staff at St. Luke's Hospital for their compassion, dedication, and care of Rachel and our family.

Flowers can be sent to Grace Baptist Church or memorial contributions can be made to the family during this unexpected and difficult time.

Our, dear, sweet, precious Rachel:

"God saw you getting tired, when a cure was not to be.  So He wrapped His arms around you and He whispered, "COME TO ME."  You didn't deserve what you went through, so He gave you needed rest.  God's garden must be beautiful, He only takes the best."

A very special thank you to Jeff and the staff at Downs Funeral Home for their care and compassion for Rachel and our family. They have been such a blessing to us.