Jennifer “Jenni” Lyn Johnson
Jennifer Lyn Ponto was born on September 11, 1975 to Brian and Becky Ponto in Minneapolis, MN. She suffered injuries from a tragic accident and five days later she passed away peacefully on September 3, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.
Jenni grew up on Longfellow Avenue in South Minneapolis and moved to Eagan when she was in 9 th grade. She graduated from Eagan High School in 1993 and attended Mankato State University. She obtained a B.A. degree in Interior Design and graduated in 1998.
Jenni’s loving family of six was filled with Christian values and eternal faith in God. Her Mom and Dad were two of the most loving parents any child could ever have. They adored and loved her with all their hearts. She returned their love in every way. They are exceedingly proud to have watched her grow into the amazing woman she became. Jenni was adored by her two sisters, Amy and Alyssa, and her brother, Micah. Whether it was camping in a tent trailer or being at their cabin in Wisconsin, they always wanted to be together. Jenni was an amazing and much-loved sister.
In the spring of 1999, Jenni met the love of her life Jeremy Johnson. Everyone who saw them together knew they were a perfect match. They were married on September 22, 2000 and they complimented each other in every way. They loved each other completely. It was clearly God’s plan to bring these two beautiful souls together. Their love for each other and for their sons was the most important part of their lives.
Jenni was loved immediately by Jeremy’s Mom and Dad, Don and Deb, his brothers, Chris, Jeff and Jared, and sister, Heather. The Johnson’s invited her into their family with open arms and welcomed her as their own.
Jenni and Jeremy embarked upon a few years of exciting travels and then were blessed in 2002 with the birth of their first son, Andrew. In 2004 they welcomed their second son, Alex and in 2006 they welcomed their third son, Henry. Jenni was blessed and proud to be a “boy mom”. Being the mother to these three boys, whom she loved fiercely, was her greatest joy. Jenni was their “Mama Bear” who was always there supporting, loving, encouraging, guiding and fulfilling their every need. The boys were deeply involved in sports and Jenni was their biggest cheerleader. The past several years she was a devoted Lacrosse mom and took great pride in all three boys’ accomplishments, leadership, spirit and heart on and off the field. There could not be a mom who was more proud of her sons.
Jenni was passionate about running, sports and staying active. It was not uncommon to see Jenni stay up the latest at the campfire, only to then be the first person up in the morning to go for a quick run or leisurely walk. At home, Jenni loved to go for daily runs and walks, often with Jeremy or her girlfriends. She completed the Twin Cities Marathon in 2013, ran the Twin Cities 10-mile several times, and participated in runs all over the state. She loved being outdoors and in the sunshine, and running was a way of life.
Jenni began her career as a designer at Ethan Allen. She then continued her professional development at Gabbert’s. In 2012 Jenni branched off and began her own Interior Design endeavor, Jennifer Johnson Interior Design (JJID), where she built her business from the ground up. Jenni could be seen walking up and down the streets of Lakeville with her three boys in tow putting her business card in every mailbox. Through her hard work and client referrals, Jenni built an extremely successful business that she was tremendously proud of. Her notoriety and brand excellence was recognized by Reader’s Choice and she was awarded the “Best Interior Design Business in Lakeville” for seven consecutive years. Jenni’s honesty, creativity and vision was a true gift, and she was loved by her many clients, contractors and vendors. Interior Design was not just her job, it was who she was.
Jenni made friends in every walk of life. We have often heard from friends and family that “to know her is to love her” and that was exactly the person she was. She touched countless lives with her smile and infectious laugh. There was nothing she loved more than to spend time with friends and family – whether it was going out to eat, monthly Bunco, sports parents gatherings, serving up Lacrosse dinners, vacations, Oktoberfest celebrations or going for walks with friends, she cherished every moment and always had a smile on her face.
Jenni loved our cabin which became our second home for the entire family. As our families grew, Jenni inspired several additions to expand the footprint of the cabin to hold the entire group. It was our center for caring, sharing and friendship. Whether swimming, boating, fishing, playing games, campfires or engaging in competitive Pontolympic challenges, our memories are rich and will last forever. Auntie Jenni also held a special place in the hearts of her nephews and nieces. She had a wonderful connection with the children and they all loved her dearly.
Jenni was preceded in death by Grandparents Sammy and Connie Anderson; Carl and Marguerite Ponto; Uncles Lee Ponto and Jerry Anderson; and Nephew Justin Westman. She is survived by her loving Husband Jeremy; her beloved sons Andrew, Alex and Henry; her wonderful Parents Brian and Becky Ponto; her Sisters, Amy (Dave) Becker-Althoff, Alyssa (Steve) Huettl and Brother Micah (Amy) Ponto; Father and Mother-in-Law Don and Deb Johnson; Sister-in-Law Heather (Scott) Westman; Brothers-in-Law Christopher (Melanie) Johnson, Jeffrey (Tabitha) Johnson, and Jared (Laura) Johnson; Nieces and Nephews Dylan and Kelsey Becker; Brennan, Easton and Tobin Huettl; Corrin, Nathan and Lauren Ponto; Victoria, Tristan, Gabe and Elise Johnson; Logan, Hannah and Keegan Westman; Chase, Gavin and Samuel Johnson; and Adelya, Ellianna, Sherman, Amira and Reagan Johnson.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Hosanna Lutheran Church, 9600 163 rd St. W., (Door #1) Lakeville on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Visitation from 9:00-10:30, Celebration of Life 10:30, reception to follow.
The family prefers in lieu of flowers for donations to be made to a charity of your choice.
