Myrtle E. Cooper Johnson was born on June 12, 1906 in Albia. Iowa, to William Henry and Emma Jane (Stice) Cooper. At age 6, she moved with her family to the wild of northern Minnesota, settling on a farm near Pequot Lakes. She attended grade and high school there graduating in 1923. During her teenage and college years she worked in the area at housekeeping and child care. In 1924, she began attending St. Cloud Normal School, now St. Cloud State College, where she met her future husband who delivered milk to the college. Myrtle graduated from college with a 2-year teaching certificate in 1926 and taught at several schools in the Pequot Lakes area.

She was married Sept. 27, 1930 at the Presbyterian Parsonage in Brainerd, Minn. They lived on the family farm near the reformatory in St. Cloud off and on until 1950 when they purchased the farm on Sunrise Lake near Lindstrom, Minn.

Three boys were born to the family: Daryl, Berge Lynn and Alan. Myrtle returned to teaching and went back to St. Cloud State during the summers, graduating with a bachelors degree. She taught at Lindstrom area schools and many former students remember her as their special 5th-grade teacher. She retired from teaching in 1970.

Myrtle was an active church member at Trinity Lutheran Church in worship and womenís activities. After retirement, Myrtle participated in many activities and hobbies. She was a member of Lakeside Garden Club, a book club, St. Croix Valley Doll Club and Sons of Norway. She is widely remembered for her flowers and ceramic dolls.

She loved traveling and visited many states, Guyana, Mexico and Belize. Since October 2003 until her death, Myrtle had been a resident at the L.O. Simenstad Nursing Care Unit, Osceola, Wisc., where she received loving care.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Berge, her sister Vera and great-grandson Gavin.

She is survived by son Daryl (Donna) of Lindstrom, son Berge (Peggy) of Spicer, son Alan (Marilyn) of Chisago City, nine grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral service is 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 13025 Newell Ave., Lindstrom, MN 55045 (651) 27-5129. Visitation is one hour prior to the service. Burial is at 3 p.m. at North Star Cemetery, St. Cloud, Minn.

Arrangements by Grandstrand Funeral Home, Lindstrom, Minn.

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