Johanna Marnitz Stowers

Johanna Marnitz Stowers, 89, of Berlin, Germany, Chesterfield, Virginia, and Fort Myers, Florida, passed away on May 18, 2025, after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was born on May 21, 1935, in Berlin, Germany, to Paul and Hedwig Marnitz. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Dorothy Brandt, and her husband of 58 years, Roy Stowers, who passed in 2023.

Johanna is survived by her children, Daniel P. Stowers (Melissa) and Amy Porter (Michael); grandchildren, Daniel B. Stowers, Amanda Baker, Meghan Thompson, Alexandra Porter, Elizabeth Porter, Thomas Porter, and Amelia Stowers; and great-grandchildren, Adaline Baker, Eleanor Baker, Levi Thompson, and Haddie Thompson.

Johanna emigrated to Washington, D.C. in her late 20s and worked as a dental assistant on a U.S. military base. She met Roy at a party, and after he offered her a ride home, the two quickly became a couple. They married in 1966, and after living in Washington DC and Forestville, MD, they eventually settled in Chesterfield, Virginia in 1974.

Determined and hardworking, Johanna became a U.S. citizen in the early 1980s, obtained her GED, and went on to become a registered nurse 1988. She worked for ten years as a nurse on the spinal cord injury unit at the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center (formerly Hunter Holmes McGuire Medical Center), where she compassionately cared for countless veterans.

Johanna was known for her energy and hands-on approach to life. She liked to keep busy, whether it was cleaning, gardening, or working on projects around the house. She and Roy maintained a large garden and enjoyed their time outdoors in their yard.

After retiring, Johanna and Roy embraced life on the road. In their RV, they spent more than a decade traveling across nearly every U.S. state—including Alaska—and often went to Mexico. Eventually, they settled in Fort Myers, Florida, where they spent a relaxing decade before moving to assisted living in Richmond, Virginia, in their final years.

Johanna will be remembered for her strength, her outgoing personality, and the love she had for her family.