Kenneth Emery Johnson

Kenneth Emery Johnson of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, was born into life on February 18, 1923, and entered into eternal life one day short of his 94th birthday on February 17, 2017.

Kenny was the eighth of twelve children born to George and Ida (Holdeman) Johnson on the family farm near Ulen, Minnesota. He attended country school at Shell Lake and Cotton Lake through sixth grade and completed grades seven and eight in Frazee.

Kenny loved to work, and in his younger years labored on the family farm, then with harvest crews in Montana, the west coast and Texas. Later he came to Casselton, North Dakota, where he met the love of his life, Helen Unruh, who worked at the local grocery store. Kenny and Helen were married on March 5, 1944, at the Methodist Church in Casselton. To this enduring union were born four children. While in Casselton, he began working in the plumbing and heating business and ultimately earned his Journeyman’s and Master Plumber licenses. The family moved to Kindred, North Dakota, and Kenny later sold his business and began a twenty-year career with Johnson Controls. After his retirement, they moved to Lake Melissa, Minnesota, where Kenny continued to work as a handyman around the lakes area, eventually moving to Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Kenny loved the Lord and shared his faith with anyone who would listen. He was generous to a fault and active in church, Gideons, and Boy Scouts, to name a few. Over the years, Kenny and Helen entertained multitudes of people at their lake home, teaching them to water ski, grilling and making homemade ice cream, going fishing on the pontoon, and showing hospitality to all who visited. Kenny was a dedicated and loving husband, dad, grandpa, and papa. He especially loved babies and helped with daycare for the great-grandchildren for several years.

Kenny was preceded in death by nine brothers and sisters; his son, James Johnson; and son-in-law, Bruce Capra.

He is survived by his wife of nearly seventy-three years, Helen Johnson, of Fergus Falls; his children, Jerry (Jean) Johnson, Jacqueline Capra, and Jolene (Rod) Scheel; daughter-in-law, Nancy Johnson; ten grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; two sisters, Marie Kanagy and Grace (Dean) Schantz; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the doctors and staff at Lake Region Clinic and Hospital, Broen Short Stay, Woodland Lodge, and Lakeland Hospice.

Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 20, 2017, at Olson Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Service: 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, at Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Pastor Jim Johnson
Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens in Fargo, North Dakota.
Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.