Gordon
Johnson, 89
Blaine
- Gordon Johnson, 89, formerly of Thief River
Falls, died on Tuesday, November 12, 2002 at
Hennepin County Medical Center in
Minneapolis.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, November 16
at the Johnson-Green Funeral Home in Thief River
Falls with Rev. Tim Bauer officiating. Vanessa
Anderson sang "Amazing Grace" and "His Eye Is On
The Sparrow." Casketbearers were members of the
American Legion and VFW. Interment was in St.
Bernard's Catholic Cemetery in Thief River Falls
with military honors accorded by the American
Legion Ecklund-Holmstrom Post #117 and the Veterans
of Foreign Wars Post #2793 of Thief River
Falls.
Gordon
Oliver Carlyle Johnson was born on January 3, 1913,
the son of Carl and Olive (Olson) Johnson in Thief
River Falls. He was baptized into the Lutheran
faith and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church on
November 21, 1926. He attended school in Thief
River Falls and graduated from Lincoln High School.
After graduation, Gordon attended and graduated
from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on
March 17, 1938 with a bachelor's degree in business
administration.
On
February 12, 1939, Gordon married Claire Mary Guth
in Staples. He entered the United States Army on
November 6, 1942 and was honorably discharged on
November 3, 1945. While in the Army, he served with
the Signal Corps technical services unit of Alaska
Communications system overseas. He encoded and
decoded war department messages and transmitted and
received radio and telegraph communication. He was
cleared by military intelligence and the FBI to
work on secret and highly confidential
material.
Gordon
and Claire moved to Thief River Falls, where they
purchased the Soo Café with Gordon's
brother, Ray. In 1950, they started the Western
Auto Store and also purchased the Sportsman's Store
and sold the Soo Café. Later, they purchased
Hub Clothing. In 1967, they sold the store and
moved to Duluth, where Gordon worked for the
Minnesota Department of Revenue. The couple
returned to Thief River Falls in their retirement.
Claire died on July 13, 2000 and Gordon moved to
Minneapolis to be near his son, Bob.
Survivors
include his son, Robert; one grandson, Joshua
Johnson of St. Cloud; a brother, Ray Johnson of
Thief River Falls; and three nephews.
Gordon
was preceded in death by his wife and his
parents.
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