Obituary of Lois M. Johnson

Lois was born premature on her grandparent’s Bonneson farm in Milltown WI. on June 21, 1924 weighing only 1 ½ pounds to Elmer and Louise Lund of South Minneapolis. She was quickly taken to Minneapolis for intensive care. She grew up as on only child and graduated from Washburn High School in June 1942. After high school she attended Minneapolis Business College and completed secretary courses which landed her a job at International Harvester in St. Paul. While Lois was still in high school she met Loren Johnson, he had already graduated. They dated for four years. Loren loved Big Band music and taught Lois to love it too, never missing a band playing in town. She played piano for her own enjoyment. In February of 1943, Loren join the Marines and was stationed at Camp Pendleton base in San Diego, California. He was scheduled to go overseas, so Lois quit her job and went out to California to see him. But he didn’t go, so she decided to get a job and stayed until he had to go overseas. They decided to get married and did in June of 1944. A son, Donald, was born to them in 1945. Lois and Donald returned to Minneapolis in September of 1945 when Loren shipped out for the Island’s. He returned safely in February of 1946 to another son soon to be born. Lois was always close to her family and a large extended family, Lois and Loren had 52 years of a happy marriage and lived in different areas of Minneapolis. South Minneapolis where, Gary and Kathy were born, six years in Hopkins, where Stephen and Cheryl were born. In 1957 the family moved to Fridley where their last son, Douglas was born, to complete their family of six children. During her lifetime she enjoyed being a homemaker, loved cooking for her crew, sewed clothes for girls, needlework, making quilts and reading. She did home daycare for friends and teachers for many years and grandchildren as they came along. She had patience with the little ones. If you were a friend of Lois; it was for life. It started with friends in kindergarten, through high school years and kept til today. She loved to write letters and kept in touch as friends moved away. In 1984 they retired and sold their Fridley home and built a home in Ogilvie, Minnesota. Early years they rented cabins at lakes. In 1963 they bought their first travel trailer and took the family on many interesting wonderful trips and continued during retirement. Lois did not like to fish, but the boys did. In 1994 Loren’s health failed, she faithfully took care of him with cancer for three years until his death in 1997. Lois moved to Cambridge in 1999 to be closer to family and stayed healthy until age 92. She passed away on January 30, 2017. Lois is survived by her children Gary (Marion), Kathy (Dale) Findell, Stephen (Carol), Cheryl (Mike) Beck and Douglas; 14 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; 3 nieces and cousins