1914
Arlene
2009
Arlene Johnson
January 27, 1914 — January 25, 2009
Arlene was born January 27, 1914 at her grandparents’ farm near Lily South Dakota, the daughter of Edgar and Marie Benson. She was baptized on February 21, 1914 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Lily, South Dakota. They moved to McIntosh, South Dakota where her parents farmed for a few years. There were a few people in the area at the time, and most of the land was still prairie land. She remembered her Mother putting her and her brother in an outside root cellar while her Mom and Dad would fight prairie fires. In one of the fires, a whole family that lived close to them lost their lives. It was about this time when Arlene was six years old (1920), they decided to move to Providence township near Dawson, Minnesota. There the family operated the Providence Store, a country-general store until 1944. Arlene attended a country school near her home, and then went to Dawson High School and graduated in 1932. She was confirmed at the Providence Valley Lutheran Church along with her future husband, M. Eugene Johnson. She worked at the family store until 1944 when she moved with her family to Minneapolis, Minnesota. She worked at the Dayton’s department store, where she was the manager of the infants’ department. On May 28, 1949, Arlene was married to M. Eugene Johnson of Starbuck, Minnesota. They ran a dairy farm until 1975. Here they raised three children; Michael, Ronald and Marcella. In 1981, they built a new home in Starbuck and lived there until 1997 when they moved to Holly Ridge Manor in Starbuck. Her husband, Eugene, passed away in March of 2000. Arlene entered the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in November of 2004. Arlene passed away on January 25, 2009.
Arlene’s grandfather, Johannes Bengston, was a Civil War Veteran. He was drafted into the Union Army in January, 1864. He served under General Sherman and took part in the capture of Atlanta and Sherman’s March to the Sea. Johannes died when Arlene was seven years old.
Arlene was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church of rural Starbuck. She was active in the Ladies’ Aid where she held numerous positions over the years. Her church was an important part of her life. She was also a member of the Homemaker’s Club, the Walden gad-abouts. She enjoyed traveling, and her favorite trip was to Hawaii. In 1933, she took her first trip to the Chicago World’s Fair with a group of her girlfriends. She enjoyed entertaining friends and family. Arlene’s dinners always included homemade buns, and if you stayed overnight you would get fresh baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast. She loved having her grandchildren stay and would have their favorite treats when they arrived.
She is survived by two sons, Michael (Judith) Johnson, Ronald (Suzanne) Johnson, both of Starbuck, and one daughter Marcella (Lee) Peterson of Excelsior, Minnesota; five grandchildren, Jennifer (Michael) Moravec of Streamwood, Illinois, Brooke (Bradley) Chandler of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Scott (Natalie) Johnson of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Christopher Peterson of Fargo, North Dakota, Michelle Peterson of Winona, Minnesota; three great grandchildren, Madison and Zachary Moravec and Avery Chandler, and one sister-in-law, Doris Benson of La Crosse, Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene; brother, Gordon Benson; her parents; two brother-in-laws and two sister-in-laws.
Pallbearers for the services are: Rick Benson, Scott Johnson, Christopher Peterson, Alan Husher and Maynerd Thompson. Honorary pallbearers are all of Arlene’s grandchildren. Dee Syverson will serve as organist for the service. Starbuck Funeral Home in Starbuck is in charge of the arrangements.
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