The funeral for Freddie Johnson, 93, of Velva, formerly of Minnewakan and Minot, will be held October 3 at Trinity Free Lutheran Church in Minnewaukan. He died Sept. 29, 2007 at the Souris Valley Care Center in Velva.
Rev. Lu Mathison will officiate. Casket bearers will be nephews, Darrel, Rodney, Terry, Dennis, Rick and Duane Smith. Interment will be in the Trinity Free Lutheran Cemetery. The Gilbertson Funeral Home of Devils Lake is in charge of arrangements.
Frederick Theodore Johnson was born Dec. 3, 1913 in Maddock to Frederick and Tilla (Nesset) Johnson. At a young age he moved with his parents to Minnewaukan where he was reared. He worked as a farm laborer and mechanic in the area for several years. He married Alma Gustafson Sept. 25, 1940 in Minnewaukan. He served with the Civilian Conservation Corps for a time and then worked as a janitor at the Benson County Courthouse for 30 years, retiring in 1977. He also worked part-time as a carpenter with Johnny Fragodt for many years. After he retired from the courthouse he worked at the Minnewaukan Lumber Yard and Ray's Bait & Tackle on Graham's Island near Ziebach's Pass. In 2002 they moved to Minot to be closer to family. They entered the Souris Valley Care Center in Velva in 2006.
While living in Minnewaukan, they were members of Trinity Free Lutheran Church. He served as the cemetery sexton for many years. He also was the volunteer lawn care specialist for the church for many years. He served on the Minnewaukan City Council and was a former member of the Eagles Aerie.
In his younger years he was an avid hunter and enjoyed fishing in all seasons. He also enjoyed canning fish, fruits and vegetables.
Survivors include his wife; a son and daughter-in-law, Duane and Roberta Johnson of Minot; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters and a brother-in-law, Lillian and Harry Salisbury of Fargo and Margaret Darling of Port Angeles, Wash.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, John, Ronald, Eddie and Gordon Johnson; and seven sisters, Olive Medved, Lena Darling, Hilda Bily, Gina Tofsrud-Remington, Mabel Holtz, Anna Ashford and Ellen Halvorson.