Delores M. (Thompson) Johnson

Delores M. Johnson, 92 of Brooten died Saturday, September 14, 2019, at the Glenwood Retirement Village in Glenwood.  Her funeral service will be 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 21, 2019, at Big Grove Lutheran Church in rural Brooten.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.  A visitation will be held Friday from 5-8:00 pm at Johnson Funeral Home in Belgrade and continue one hour prior to the service at the church.  www.hafh.org

Delores Marilyn Rosella (Thompson) Johnson was born May 15, 1927, to Thomas and Ruth (Thostenson) Thompson in North Fork Township on the farm homesteaded by Thomas’ great grandparents, Endre and Barbo Aane.  Delores was baptized on June 12, 1927, and confirmed in the Christian faith on October 6, 1940, both at Big Grove Lutheran Church in rural Belgrade, a church that she dearly loved.  She grew up on the family farm north of the church where she attended the Kittelson Grade School and graduated from Brooten High School in 1944, as Salutatorian. She later graduated from St Cloud State with a BS Degree in 1970, after attending summer school, night classes, and correspondence courses over 25 years.  She taught 6 years of rural schools prior to marriage beginning at age 18 with more than 23 kids in grades 1-8 teaching in Sunburg, New London, Elrosa and Starbuck.  In 1963, she returned to teaching in the Rooney School near Padua for several years and then began teaching at Belgrade until 1989, when she retired.   

On June 9, 1951, Delores was united in marriage to Mervin Johnson.  They were blessed with 3 children and raised their family on the original Johnson Homestead northeast of Brooten.   Mervin and Delores shared 59 years of marriage until Mervin’s death on March 25, 2011.  Delores later moved to Brooten for the remainder of her life.

Delores immersed herself in the study of her family history and writing stories of both the Thompson and Johnson ancestors. She also loved ice fishing, Mervin and Delores would spend hours in the fish house.   She was a master at making lefse, krumkake, and her famous lemon jellyroll! She was a lifelong member of Big Grove Lutheran Church and was active in the church choir, an officer of WELCA, church treasurer, a member of the church council, and a Sunday School teacher.

Delores died on September 14, 2019, at the Glenwood Retirement Village in Glenwood.  She attained the age of 92 years.  Delores is survived by her children: Gary (Annette) Johnson of Alexandria, Diane (Arden) Hanson of Brooten, and Lyle (Judy) Johnson of Brooten; grandchildren: Bob Feely, Stacie (Dan) Hansen, Michael (Jen) Johnson, Donovan (Mandie) Johnson, Laura (Tom Sheehan), Anthony and Seth Hanson, and Jenna Johnson; 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Donna (Ronald) Werdin; sister in law, Mary Ellen McCrory; and many nieces, nephews and cousins whom she loved dearly.

Delores was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Mervin; sister, Eileen Anderson; brother, Ronald Thompson, and grandson, Tom Feely.

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