Johnson, Gary J. 1940-2002

JOHNSON, VESTGAARD, EARNEST

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/17/2009 at 20:11:15

LE MARS, Iowa -- Gary J. Johnson, 61, of Sioux City, formerly of Le Mars, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2002, at his residence following a lengthy illness.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Le Mars, with the Rev. Gary Landsness officiating. Graveside services will be 3 p.m. Friday in Pleasant View Cemetery, Hartley, Iowa. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 5 to 8 p.m., at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service Friday at the church.

Gary Jacob Johnson was born Oct. 14, 1940, in Alta, Iowa, the son of Torval and Helga (Vestgaard) Johnson. He was raised and educated in Hartley, graduating from Hartley High School in 1958. Because of his interest in automobiles, he attended college in Kansas City, to study auto body design. The following year, he transferred to Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb.

On Aug. 26, 1961, Gary married Nancy Earnest in Akron, Iowa. The couple moved to Dallas, Texas, so Gary could attend the Gupton Jones Institute of Funeral Service. Upon graduation, they moved to Sioux City, where he served his apprenticeship at Nelson-Berger Funeral Home. In 1967, Gary and Nancy purchased the Luken Funeral Home and Ambulance Service located on north Central Avenue in Le Mars. They operated the ambulance until the city took over operations in 1975. Gary remained co-director until 1981. In 1983, the Luken-Johnson Funeral Home merged with the Mauer Funeral Home located in the business district on Central Avenue. He retired in 1995 and moved to Sioux City.

Gary was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and throughout the years held various offices and had taught Sunday School and catechism. During his business years, he had been active in the community by serving on numerous committees and civic organizations. He was a member of Rotary, Jaycees, Fraternal Order of the Eagles and the Elks Lodge, where he served as Exalted Ruler from 1975 to 1976. He also served on the Life Skills board of trustees. Throughout the years, Gary enjoyed all types of radio controlled modeling. His fascination with automobiles never ceased. He was an avid gun trader and watch collector.

Gary will be lovingly remembered by his two sons and their wives, Jay and Barb of Fridley, Minn., and Joel and Nikki of Le Mars; five grandchildren, Kyle, Justin and Sara of Fridley and Jacob and Madelyn of Le Mars; his fiancee, MariEtta Adams of Sioux City; his mother, Helga Johnson of Hartley; two brothers and their wives, LeRoy and Mavis of Hartley and Duane and Doris of Spirit Lake, Iowa; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father; a grandson, Joshua; and a father-in-law, John H. Earnest.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal; part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection