Racine County Jane Doe Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder to receive proper headstone on Dec. 18

RACINE -- Racine County Jane Doe will receive on Wednesday, Dec. 18 a proper headstone identifying her by her given name, Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder.  The current headstone, which reads "Jane Doe," will be replaced with Peggy’s monument which was designed with the family’s assistance.

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office made it a priority to replace “Jane Doe’s” headstone and did not want Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder to go another day without her given name after being unknown to the world for more than two decades.

In a news release, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling stated the following:

"Twenty years is a long time for an innocent victim to be nameless to the world.  Tomorrow, we officially and formally change that.  Peggy deserves this dignity and respect, especially so close to Christmas."


Officials say the timeliness of engraving Peggy’s headstone has been possible due to the generosity and assistance of:


    A blessing will be conducted by Racine Sheriff’s Pastor Anthony Balistreri in addition to Sheriff Christopher Schmaling and his staff at Holy Family Catholic Cemetery located at 6124 Wisconsin Highway 31, Caledonia, Wisconsin.  The blessing and monument replacement will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Officials say it is their intent is to move Peggy to her final resting place, on her birthday, March 4, 2020.  She will be placed next to her mother in Belvidere, Illinois.

    Donations to assist in the cost of Peggy’s headstone, along with her mother’s (Diane Schroeder) headstone, would be greatly appreciated and can be made payable to the following:

    Draeger Langendorf Funeral Home
    Attn: Peggy Johnson-Schroeder Burial
    4600 County Line Rd.
    Racine, WI 53403