Elmer Donovan "Dunnie" Johnson, 92, of Bemidji, formerly of Guthrie, died on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007, at Havenwood Care Center in Bemidji.
A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday at the Malvik Lutheran Church in Guthrie with Rev. Arlen Stensland officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. Burial will be in Guthrie Cemetery in Guthrie in the spring. The Cease Family Funeral Home of Bemidji assisted the family with arrangements.
He was born on March 23, 1914, to Joseph and Clara E. (Peterson) Johnson, in Guthrie. He attended Guthrie Elementary and graduated from Bemidji High School in 1935. He worked on the family farm with his parents and two siblings until he retired from farming in October 1995. During World War II, he stayed in Guthrie and farmed for the war effort. He married Bessie M. Walberg Turner on Nov. 20, 1973, in Webster, S.D. He was the Guthrie Township Assessor for six years. He served on the Guthrie Town Board for many years, serving as supervisor for three years and treasurer for 12 and a half years. He served on the Guthrie School Board for six years. He also worked at the Gill Brothers Clothing Store.
Subsequent to his retirement from farming, he greatly enjoyed working 20 years for the National Forest Service in Walker in the SCSEP program. He was a self-appointed surrogate father to all his nieces and nephews. He helped raise his sister's children after her death and was always there for the rest of his siblings' children. He was a charter member of the former St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Guthrie and currently was a member of the Malvik Lutheran Church. He was a founding member of the Guthrie Sportman's Club.
He is survived by his sister, Mildred Vick of Albert Lea, Minn.; step-daughter, Lenna (Darrel) Turner Remily of Hutchinson, Minn.; two grandchildren and one great- granddaughter; a sister-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; sisters, Mabel and Hilma; and brothers, Edwin, Henry, Marvin and Clarence.
Memorials are preferred to Malvik Lutheran Church or the Guthrie Cemetery Fund.
