Johanna Nelson Beers
1916-2004. Press-Citizen writer and columnist for 65 years, often created “the talk of the town” through her “Have You Heard” and later “Calling All Cooks” columns. The Manly native came to Iowa City for a journalism degree at the University of Iowa, which she earned in 1939. She married Iowa All-American and Olympic wrestler “Red” Beers in 1941, and raised three children as she continued her writing efforts. A lifetime Coralville promoter, she helped found its commerce club, later Chamber of Commerce. An avid bridge player, she served many years as an Iowa State Fair judge in several capacities.