Oscar
Johnson, 91
Thief
River Falls - Oscar Johnson, 91, died on
Saturday, August 16, 2003 at his home in Thief
River Falls.
Funeral
services will be held at 
10:30
a.m. on Thursday, August 21 at the Evangelical Free
Church in Thief River Falls with the Rev. Jim
Howard officiating. Casketbearers will be Marvin
Mikkelsen, Larry Johnson, Paul Johnson, Brian
Johnson, Keith Wheeler and Leo Thompson. Honorary
casketbearers will be all of the residents and
staff at Johnson's Riverside Boarding Home.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on
Wednesday, August 20 (today) at Johnson-Green
Funeral Home in Thief River Falls with a prayer
service at 6 p.m. and also for one hour prior to
services at the church on Thursday. Interment will
be in Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River
Falls.
Oscar
William Johnson was born in Goodridge on March 31,
1912, the son of Peder Adolph and Bertha (Bagne)
Johnson. He grew up on the family farm and attended
country school. His father died young and Oscar
took over for the family and farm.
On
March 31, 1943, he married Eleanor Charlotte
Evenson in Thief River Falls. The couple had four
children and several foster children. They moved
into what is now the Johnson's Riverside Boarding
Home in June 1948. At first, they cared for foster
children and the elderly. In July 1967, they
officially started Johnson's Riverside Boarding
Home for developmentally disabled adults. While
operating the boarding home, Oscar also farmed and
raised dairy cows. Eleanor died in 1988.
In
1990, Oscar married Verna Brown and they continued
to live on the farm. Oscar had also worked as a
school bus driver, cement truck driver, mailman,
carpenter and he hauled hay and did custom baling.
He was a member of the Evangelical Free Church,
helped start the Falls DAC and was a member of the
Steer Missionary Group. He enjoyed visiting with
family and friends, woodworking, building yard
decorations, gardening and playing many different
instruments, including the banjo and
harmonica.
Survivors
include his wife, Verna of Thief River Falls; three
sons, Marvin (Mary) Mikkelsen of Fridley, Larry
(Susan) Johnson of Owatonna and Paul (Geno) Johnson
of Thief River Falls; eight step-children, Wayne
(Sonja) Brundage of Sundre, Alberta, Judi Newcomer
of Toronto, Ontario, Bunny (Bob) Goertzen of
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Lorraine (Bill) McBride of
Tottenham, Ontario, Grace (Leo) Thompson of
Brampton, Ontario, Doug (Anna) Brundage of Toronto,
Ontario, Sid (Verna) Brundage of Shelburne,
Ontario, and Beth (Keith) Wheeler of Thief River
Falls; 24 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren;
one brother, Albert Johnson of Thief River Falls;
one sister, Emma (Donald) Mack of Oklee; and many
other relatives and friends.
Oscar
was preceded in death by his parents; his first
wife, Eleanor; daughter, Karen Johnson; sons, Dean
Johnson and Jens Mikkelsen; four brothers, Johnny,
Elmer, Art and Bennie; two sisters, Gladys Grovum
and Julia McCoy; and a step son-in-law, Steve
Newcomer.
A00003B2003AG20
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