Jeanne Johnson Retires from a Legacy of Service at Ride On St. Louis
- Ride On St. Louis
- May 27
- 6 min read
After nearly 15 years of extraordinary service and dedication behind the scenes, Ride On St. Louis announces the retirement of Jeanne Johnson. Jeanne is a volunteer whose impact on the organization is impossible to fully measure.
We first met Jeanne in 2010 when she made a donation of an entire truck load of horse show ribbons and trophies, of us to award to our participants. Soon after, Jeanne was volunteering at our signature "Nag's Head" trivia in 2011 and stepped into a major administrative role in 2012. Since then, Jeanne has devoted fulltime hours each week managing billing, bookkeeping, office administration, fundraising support, event logistics, data management, and countless day-to-day operations. Jeanne helped Ride On St. Louis grow and thrive, utilizing her professional skills and personal experience.
Jeanne retired from a distinguished 45-year career with Ameren Missouri in Festus, De Soto and House Springs offices, where she worked in stockholder and treasury records, payroll, work records, security compliance, revenue operations, and management for the Union Electric Independent Office in De Soto. Beyond that, she served as Executive Director for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, youth advisor for the Missouri Quarter Horse Association, and Rodeo Pageant Director for the Twin City Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to these skills, Jeanne was committed, devoted, and truly incorporated into all aspects of Ride On St. Louis. Whether it was preparing financial records, organizing mountains of paperwork, assisting with fundraising, or arriving to events with her “emergency bag of tricks” complete with tape, scissors, string, and every imaginable item someone might suddenly need, Jeanne was always ready and always willing to help. Jeanne demonstrated the type of dedication to her role, that we've not come across before... even surgery could not keep Jeanne down! Eager to return to helping wherever needed, Jeanne was “champing at the bit” to get back to work and help out at a major fundraising event not even 24 hours after a surgery.
When Ride On St. Louis faced a difficult period, operating for six years without a permanent facility due to flooding and capital campaign development, Jeanne quite literally opened her home to the organization. Staff meetings were held in her house. Office equipment and files filled her space so the nonprofit could continue functioning without interruption. Her generosity helped preserve the continuity and stability of operations during an uncertain transition.
Over the course of her service, Jeanne volunteered an estimated 2,000+ hours annually and helped Ride On St. Louis:
Serve more than 1,000 individuals with disabilities and challenges through equine-assisted services.
Save nearly $750,000 in staffing costs, allowing more resources to be reinvested directly into programs and participant care.
Successfully plan and execute more than 10 fundraising and community events annually.
Maintain and organize more than 5,000 financial and administrative records critical to operational efficiency and compliance.
Sustain administrative operations during a six-year facility transition.
“Jeanne has been the quiet force behind so much of Ride On St. Louis’s success,” said BriAnn Session, Ride On St. Louis's Grant Writer & Equine Specialist. “She does the work of an entire team with incredible precision and heart. No matter the challenge, Jeanne always found a way to make things work. Her dedication has affected many lives, and her presence will be deeply missed.”
In 2018, Jeanne’s incredible dedication was recognized nationally when she received the PATH International Region 7 Volunteer of the Year Award, reflecting her unique qualities and offerings to Ride On St. Louis. She was among 20 Missouri volunteers honored during Missouri Service Day in 2025 at the State Capitol, with Lt. Gov. David Wasinger as the keynote speaker. Also at the event, state Rep. Ken Waller, R-Herculaneum, presented Johnson with a Missouri House of Representatives resolution signed by House Speaker Jonathan Patterson. Though she never sought recognition and often avoided the spotlight entirely, her contributions shaped the organization in profound ways. The growth of Ride On St. Louis over the past decade simply would not have been possible without her.
Jeanne grew up in Festus, the oldest of seven children. She graduated from the former Sacred Heart Catholic School in Festus and Festus High School and briefly attended Jefferson College in Hillsboro. Jeanne treasures time with her daughter Michelle, son-in-law Trevor, beloved Yorkshire terrier, Yadi. Jeanne's daughter Michelle Forness is a national director for the Missouri American Quarter Horse Association who placed first in the American Quarter Horse World Championship Show in Western amateur horsemanship in 2017. Jeanne is also known for maintaining what many would describe as a St. Louis Cardinals “museum” in her basement, consisting of an enormous and carefully curated collection celebrating her lifelong love of Cardinals baseball. Her favorite moment in Cardinals history is Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, and she is a huge fan of Yadier Molina. Below Jeanne is pictured left with the St. Louis Cardinals' President Bill DeWitt III, and right with a Yadier Molina birthday cake, Ride On St. Louis staff, and volunteers in celebration of her birthday, which fell on the same day as our Nag's Head Trivia; Jeanne, of course, volunteered to handle all the transactions, receipts, set-up, planning and more of the event!
In recognition of Jeanne’s extraordinary years of service, Ride On St. Louis recently gathered with staff, volunteers, board members, donors, and longtime supporters whose lives and work were touched by her dedication over the years.
During the gathering, Carla Puricelli, former board member, a volunteer, and longtime supporter of Ride On St. Louis, shared this poem she wrote in Jeanne’s honor:
We are all here today to honor the hardworking and generous Jeanne Johnson
When she came to Ride On St. Louis, we knew we had hit a home run.
Even when Jeanne was very young, she was always taking care of people and things
She comes from a very large family where she had to take care of her many siblings.
Before coming to Ride On St. Louis she worked for 45 years at Ameren UE
When she decided to join the team at Ride on St. Louis, we were all filled with glee.
Jeanne has done so many different things throughout her journey so far
Including birthing calves and running a working ranch that she helped keep up to par.
Raising her daughter Michelle and her winning the AQHA World Congress Show
Made Jeanne so very proud, as anyone would know.
“Yadi” is the name of her Yorkie, so much beloved
That spoiled pup even gets steak, served white-gloved.
Jeanne has been driving her white GMC truck for quite a few years
If there was even a speck of dirt on it, she would break into tears.
.
The Cardinals baseball team is one of the things Jeanne deeply adores
In her basement she has a Cardinals museum complete with astroturf floors.
Jeanne is very generous and thoughtful in many different ways
Picking up the mail and doing office tasks is how she spent many of her days.
She largely contributed to the many events that ROSL hosted throughout the year
We could count on her to be the first to arrive and the last to leave, with no fear.
The number of hours she spent keying information into the database is hard to say
Thank you Jeanne for the 16 years you spent doing those things almost every day.
Jeanne is one of a kind with a heart made of gold to that we can all agree
So let’s lift up our glasses and toast to this wonderful lady sitting here next to me.
Ride On St. Louis extends its deepest gratitude for the years of selfless service, loyalty, and care she has given to the organization and the community we serve. Her legacy will continue to be felt with every participant served, every family supported, and every success story made possible because of the strong foundation she helped to build.
Thank you, Jeanne!
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