Christine “Chris” April Johnson, 60, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away on September 21, 2026, after a long battle with cancer.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at T-Bock’s Upstairs in Decorah. Family and friends are invited to gather, share memories and celebrate Chris’s life. A short program will begin at 2:30 p.m., and a light lunch and snacks will be provided throughout the afternoon. A private burial will be held at a later date.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials may go to the family in memory of Chris.

Chris was born October 7, 1965, in Decorah, Iowa, to Clifford (Kip) and Diane (Dee) Johnson. She grew up in Decorah and attended Decorah Community Schools before continuing her education at Northeast Iowa Community College and Upper Iowa University.

Chris worked for many years at Manpower Inc. and later finished her career at Luther College, a place that became very special to her. She valued the work she did, but even more than that, she valued the people she met and the relationships she built along the way.

One of the most important parts of Chris’s life was her relationship with Duane Schacht. They met in 1980, when Chris was just 15 years old, and spent a lifetime together. Through the everyday moments, the adventures, the laughter and the hard years, Duane was always there. During Chris’s 11-year battle with cancer, he was her person every day and every night — caring for her, supporting her and loving her through sickness and health. Their life together spanned decades, and their devotion to one another was a defining part of Chris’s life.

Family and friends meant everything to Chris. She was grateful for the people who came into her life and believed that we all leave something of ourselves with one another. In writings she prepared near the end of her life, she reflected on how fortunate she felt to have had so many people be part of her story, whether they crossed her path briefly or stayed for many years. She hoped she had brought some of the same joy and love to others that they had brought to her.

Chris had many interests and loved both creative projects and time outdoors. She loved music and musicals, Disney movies and a good comedy. She enjoyed gardening, golfing with family and friends, Sunday crossword puzzles, crafting, cross stitching, and hand knitting.

She especially enjoyed doing stained glass and painting ceramics with her mom. Of all the ceramic gnomes they painted together, Chris was the one who could always get the eyes just right.

Chris also loved spending time with Duane at the Valley. Riding the trails, being outdoors and hunting for morel mushrooms brought her so much happiness. Even during her illness, those outings remained important to them. Just this past spring, when Chris was already very sick, she and Duane still went morel hunting. They drove from one favorite spot to another, with Chris pointing out the trees and places where she thought the mushrooms might be. Duane would hop out and take a look, often coming back empty-handed. It wasn’t a very good morel year, but that didn’t take away from the time they had together.

Chris also enjoyed camping, fishing, boating and simply being outside. She found joy in the quieter parts of life too — conversations with family, shared laughter and time spent with the people she loved.

Chris believed in kindness, forgiveness and second chances. She knew that no one goes through life perfectly and that everyone experiences both happiness and sorrow. In her own reflections, she wrote about forgiving those who matter to us, apologizing when we hurt someone and remembering that people deserve another chance. One simple line she wrote says a great deal about how she tried to look at life: “The Golden Rule should be mandatory.”

Chris is survived by her lifelong partner, Duane Schacht; her mother, Diane Johnson; and her siblings and their families: sister Jennifer (Marty) Faldet and their children, Nathan (Ari) Maloney, Mac (Alyssa) Faldet and Noah Faldet; brother Chad Johnson; and sister Stephanie Johnson and her children, Rjis Nesset and Alexandra Nesset and her partner, Zeb Gnida.

Chris is also survived by the family she shared with Duane throughout their many years together: sister-in-law Rhonda (Willet) Young and their children, Shannon Young, Jordan (Hannah) Young, Justin (Skylar) Young and Ryan (Lexy) Young; sister-in-law Audrey (Danny) Fadness and their children, Amanda Fadness, Jake (Jordan) Fadness, Stephanie (Luke) Sollner, and Mitchell Fadness and his partner, Brooke Norby; and sister-in-law Gretchen (Phil) Falcone. She is also survived by many great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members and friends.

Chris was preceded in death by her father, Kip Johnson; her infant daughter, Brittany; brother-in-law Andrew Nesset; father-in-law Gerald Schacht; and mother-in-law Dorothy Schacht.

Chris will be remembered for her sense of humor, her love of family and friends, the many things that brought her joy, and the importance she placed on kindness, forgiveness and relationships. Near the end of her life, she wrote that she hoped she had given back even a portion of the joy and love that others had given to her.

Those who loved Chris know that she did.