Gerhard Johnson 1892-1966

JOHNSON, ASKELAND, SOLBERG, FRIES

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 3/11/2015 at 19:30:47

Heart Attack Claims Man at Age 74
Gerhard Johnson, 74, of Armstrong, died today at 4:40 a.m. at Holy Family Hospital, where he was taken yesterday afternoon. He had worked at Arts-Way Manufacturing until noon yesterday, when he became ill while home for lunch. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Johnson, he was born Jan. 17, 1892, in Shelby County. He moved to a farm northeast of Armstrong with his parents as a boy and received his education in Shelby county and Armstrong schools.

Jan. 21, 1914, he was married to Sadie Askeland in Armstrong. For three years following their marriage, the couple lived in Odin, Minn. They later farmed near Swea City and Armstrong until 1934 when they moved to a farm near Cylinder.

Mr. Johnson served as a custodian of the Cylinder schools for 20 years. He returned to Armstrong in January, 1960, where he was custodian of the Nazareth Lutheran Church for four years. For the past two years he worked as custodian at Arts Way.

Mr. Johnson was a member of the Nazareth Lutheran Church.

He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Mrs. Edward (Marjorie) Solberg of Fairmont, Mrs. William (Harriet) Fries of Armstrong, and Verlaine Johnson of LuVerne; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one brother, Casper Johnson of Willmar, Minn.

Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, three brothers, and one great-grandchild.

Family services will be Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the Nazareth Lutheran Church parlors, followed by public services at 2 p.m., Rev. Carl Klein officiating. Burial will be in Armstrong Grove Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Slaba-Reese Funeral Home in Armstrong after 9 a.m. Friday until noon Saturday, and at the church 1-2 p.m. Satruday.

Six grandsons will be pallbearers, Orlin Solberg, Roger Solberg, Gary Solberg, Luverne Fries, David Fries, and Vernon Fries. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 26, 1966)