1913
Joseph
2012
Joseph Johnson
July 22, 1913 — March 20, 2012
Funeral services for Joseph Johnson of Morris will be held Monday, March 26, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Morris Evangelical Free Church in Morris. Reverend Marlin Mohrman will be officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial will be in Morningside Memorial Gardens in Minneapolis, MN.
Joseph Sanster Johnson, son of Severt (Sivert Carlson) and Jane (Kolle Hellickson) Johnson, was born July 22, 1913 in Stony Brook Township, Grant County, Minnesota and died Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at Stevens Community Medical Center from pneumonia and congestive heart failure having reached the age of ninety eight and eight months. He had been a resident at West Wind Village, Morris, MN for two and half years.
He was educated in a rural school completing the eighth grade, two years of high school, Humboldt Business College & the Federal Art School. As a young man of 15, he started selling cleaning products to area customers riding his horse named Tricks. At 17, he worked for 3 yrs. at the River Inn Hotel in Fergus Falls, MN as a bellhop and elevator operator. From there he worked for Valley Cleaners as a delivery man for two years. At 21 years old, he married Helen Jenson and divorced after a few months. When he was 22 years old, he moved to St. Paul, MN where he worked for Montgomery Ward. At 23, he married Ethel Fjeldseth on May 23, 1936. To this union two daughters, Marilyn and Judy, were born. Marilyn was born in Minneapolis, MN and Judy in Grand Forks, ND where he was working for Montgomery Ward as a salesman. The family moved to Wahpeton, ND, where Joe went into the army for a short time. In Wahpeton, he built a propane gas company and stayed there for a few years. Upon selling the business, they moved to many places - St. Paul, Minneapolis, North Branch, Fargo, ND, Sioux Falls, SD, Morris, and Minneapolis, where he worked at various jobs. After 30 years of marriage, Joe and Ethel were divorced. In 1966, he married Olga Malasko and lived in Minneapolis, Phoenix, Arizona, San Benito, Texas and then to Minneapolis until Olga's death in 1996 after 30 years of marriage. He retired from North Central Gas Co. as a salesman in 1975 upon purchasing a business in Fletcher, MN. In 1999 he moved to Morris, MN where his daughter and family resided.
Joe was a member of the Sons of Norway, American Legion, and the Evangelical Free Church in Morris, MN. Talking about his 100% Norwegian heritage and speaking the language was something very important to him. His life was full of different interests and a variety of jobs. He was an avid reader, writer & artist. Dancing and listening to music was a frequent past time in his life. He was quite an entrepreneur when working in his shop and made all sorts of items. He loved selling things especially his cages he made and sold to many pet stores. His life revolved around visiting with family and friends and helping out whenever he could. His main hobby was "work" as there was never a dull moment in his active life.
He is survived by his daughter: Marilyn and husband Myron Syverson of Morris; step-son: Daniel and wife Suzzette Malasko of Brownsville, TX; grandchildren: Randy and wife Laura Syverson of Vancouver, WA, Jodi and husband Mick Ramboldt of Eagan; nieces: Betty (Stan) Johnson of Fergus Falls, Shirley Shebanek and JoAnn Johnson; nephew: Robert Johnson of Mesa, AZ; several cousins; step-grandchildren: Elizabeth Malasko of Austin, TX, Leah Malasko of San Francisco, CA and Jayne Malasko of Austin, TX; sister-in-law: Irene (Kenneth) Manning of New Brighten; brother-in-law: Harold (Laverne) Herlofsky; step nieces, nephews and cousins; great-grandchildren: Nicole and Briana Syverson of Vancouver, WA and Teagan Ramboldt of Eagan. He was preceded in death by his parents; wives: Helen, Ethel and Olga Johnson; daughter: Judy Johnson; two brothers: Chester (Margaret) Johnson and Merton (Bernice) Johnson; one half-brother: Edwin (Stella) Helleckson;one half-sister: Ina Hellickson; one niece: Eunice (Kenneth) Braatz; one nephew: David Johnson; one sister-in-law: Harriet (Peter) Sorby and one brother-in-law: Donald Herlofsky.
Joseph Sanster Johnson, son of Severt (Sivert Carlson) and Jane (Kolle Hellickson) Johnson, was born July 22, 1913 in Stony Brook Township, Grant County, Minnesota and died Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at Stevens Community Medical Center from pneumonia and congestive heart failure having reached the age of ninety eight and eight months. He had been a resident at West Wind Village, Morris, MN for two and half years.
He was educated in a rural school completing the eighth grade, two years of high school, Humboldt Business College & the Federal Art School. As a young man of 15, he started selling cleaning products to area customers riding his horse named Tricks. At 17, he worked for 3 yrs. at the River Inn Hotel in Fergus Falls, MN as a bellhop and elevator operator. From there he worked for Valley Cleaners as a delivery man for two years. At 21 years old, he married Helen Jenson and divorced after a few months. When he was 22 years old, he moved to St. Paul, MN where he worked for Montgomery Ward. At 23, he married Ethel Fjeldseth on May 23, 1936. To this union two daughters, Marilyn and Judy, were born. Marilyn was born in Minneapolis, MN and Judy in Grand Forks, ND where he was working for Montgomery Ward as a salesman. The family moved to Wahpeton, ND, where Joe went into the army for a short time. In Wahpeton, he built a propane gas company and stayed there for a few years. Upon selling the business, they moved to many places - St. Paul, Minneapolis, North Branch, Fargo, ND, Sioux Falls, SD, Morris, and Minneapolis, where he worked at various jobs. After 30 years of marriage, Joe and Ethel were divorced. In 1966, he married Olga Malasko and lived in Minneapolis, Phoenix, Arizona, San Benito, Texas and then to Minneapolis until Olga's death in 1996 after 30 years of marriage. He retired from North Central Gas Co. as a salesman in 1975 upon purchasing a business in Fletcher, MN. In 1999 he moved to Morris, MN where his daughter and family resided.
Joe was a member of the Sons of Norway, American Legion, and the Evangelical Free Church in Morris, MN. Talking about his 100% Norwegian heritage and speaking the language was something very important to him. His life was full of different interests and a variety of jobs. He was an avid reader, writer & artist. Dancing and listening to music was a frequent past time in his life. He was quite an entrepreneur when working in his shop and made all sorts of items. He loved selling things especially his cages he made and sold to many pet stores. His life revolved around visiting with family and friends and helping out whenever he could. His main hobby was "work" as there was never a dull moment in his active life.
He is survived by his daughter: Marilyn and husband Myron Syverson of Morris; step-son: Daniel and wife Suzzette Malasko of Brownsville, TX; grandchildren: Randy and wife Laura Syverson of Vancouver, WA, Jodi and husband Mick Ramboldt of Eagan; nieces: Betty (Stan) Johnson of Fergus Falls, Shirley Shebanek and JoAnn Johnson; nephew: Robert Johnson of Mesa, AZ; several cousins; step-grandchildren: Elizabeth Malasko of Austin, TX, Leah Malasko of San Francisco, CA and Jayne Malasko of Austin, TX; sister-in-law: Irene (Kenneth) Manning of New Brighten; brother-in-law: Harold (Laverne) Herlofsky; step nieces, nephews and cousins; great-grandchildren: Nicole and Briana Syverson of Vancouver, WA and Teagan Ramboldt of Eagan. He was preceded in death by his parents; wives: Helen, Ethel and Olga Johnson; daughter: Judy Johnson; two brothers: Chester (Margaret) Johnson and Merton (Bernice) Johnson; one half-brother: Edwin (Stella) Helleckson;one half-sister: Ina Hellickson; one niece: Eunice (Kenneth) Braatz; one nephew: David Johnson; one sister-in-law: Harriet (Peter) Sorby and one brother-in-law: Donald Herlofsky.
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