Obituary Posted: 9/12/07

Kermit Johnson

Kermit Peter Johnson was born March 31, 1919, on a farm in Rush Point, Minnesota, the youngest son of John and Christine Johnson. He had three brothers and five sisters and had a happy childhood on the farm at Rush Lake. He fished, played hockey and softball and helped with the farm work besides being active in his church as janitor and a member of the Luther League. He always knew he would be an electrician and as a young boy on the farm improvised ways to make life easier with electricity.

On April 29, 1941 he was drafted into the United States Army and served his country as a Medic in the 34th (Red Bull) Infantry Division for four years,

On April 26, 1947 he was married to Lois Hansen of Minneapolis and the Dale area and in 2007 they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They had four daughters Lesley (Robert) Manning of Eden Prairie, Kathleen (Melvin) Moe of Kalispell, Montana, Pamela (Dale) Jones of Maple Grove and Virginia Johnson of Richfield. They had seven grandchildren, Cameron Moe (Desiree) of Montana, Cody Moe of Rochester, Minn., Carrie (Jake) Tyndale of Maple Grove, Peter Bergstrom of Minneapolis, and Steven, Scott and Stuart Jones of Maple Grove, as well as two great-grandchildren Parker and Madalyn Tyndale of Maple Grove.

He was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical workers Local 292 for 65 years. He worked for Industrial Electric Company of Minneapolis for 31 years and retired in 1981. He and Lois moved to the farm in the Rush Point area, where Lois had grown up, and they lived as "gentlemen farmers" for 16 years during which time he loved being outdoors tending his big vegetable garden, strawberries, raspberries and fruit trees and in the winter cutting wood from their woods for their fireplace. He waited anxiously every year for deer season when he could hunt deer on his own property. Another big favorite was a fishing trip to Canada in September of each year with his brothers and nephews and friends. He enjoyed playing cards with friends and neighbors.

In 1997 they moved to a townhome in North Branch where he continued to pursue his many hobbies. One of his favorite hobbies was traveling and he and Lois traveled over a big part of the world. He particularly liked cruising.

He was baptized, confirmed and married in Calvary Lutheran Church at Rush Point. After retirement he was again active in the church at Rush Point as well as the Rush Point Leisure Club and was a lifetime member of VFW Post 6692 in Rush City where he served in the honor guard at funerals of veterans. He was a lifetime member of the 34th Infantry Division Association.

Kermit is preceded in death by his parents John & Christine Johnson, sisters Anna Hall, Bessie Stene, Esther Johnson, Helen Fagerholm, brother Ray Johnson and his grandson Scott Jones.

Kermit is survived by his wife, Lois, their four daughters, six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, sister Jeanette Opitz of Mpls, brothers Paul Johnson of Apple Valley, Curtis Johnson of Aitkin and his many nieces, nephews and friends.

Rev. Keith Kolzow will officiate at a Memorial Service Saturday 11 a.m. at the Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church at Rush Point. Interment will be in the Calvary Lutheran (Northview) Cemetery next to the church with the Grothe-Jacobson VFW Post #6692 providing Military Honors for Kermit Johnson. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service - Olson Chapel of Rush City, Minn.


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