Merlin Johnson (1915-2005)

JOHNSON, RINGSTAD, BOYKEN, FROST, HOCKMAN, SMITH, ANDERSON, BRESETTE, MARRANTO

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/29/2007 at 19:52:47

The Story City Herald, Wednesday, September 7, 2005.

Merlin Johnson, age 89, of Ames, died Monday, August 22, 2005 at Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames. Funeral services were held 2:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, 2005 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ellsworth. Burial followed at Greenwood Cemetery east of Ellsworth. Memorial gifts may be given to Cancer Research or Trinity Lutheran Church.

Julius Merlin Johnson was born Nov. 1, 1915, at the parental home, a farm northeast of Ellsworth, to Jesse Mariam Johnson and Mathilda F. (Ringstad) Johnson. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ellsworth, where he held life-long membership. He had attended Sunday School at Salem Lutheran Church in his early years, due to distance and road conditions. Merlin served a term of office as a trustee for Trinity Lutheran Church.

Early in childhood he moved with his parents to a farm southeast of Ellsworth, where he grew to manhood. His elementary education was obtained at Spring Valley, a one-room rural school. Cherished memories throughout his life were of his school friends at Spring Valley. With them he enjoyed trapping along the creek, which ran alongside the school ground and his home. There were no athletic programs at "country schools". They played "Batting up Fly Balls", "Norwegian Ball", similar to "One Old Cat" and "Ante-I-Over".

In 1929 he entered Ellsworth High School, having successfully passed examinations administered by the Hamilton County Superintendent of schools. At an award ceremony he received his eighth grade diploma. The diploma was required of rural school students only, in order to qualify for secondary education. He graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1932.

Before a driver's license became necessary, he learned to drive a car at a very early age. Along with other farm boys he drove the family car to school each school day. The automobile was comparatively new at that time and a passion of many young boys.

Merlin enjoyed association with his high school classmates. He found participation in the Junior and Senior class plays especially interesting. The class plays were traditional at the time. He continued socializing with former classmates after graduation-Saturday evenings in town and class reunions and picnics.

Because of his interest in cars he once considered a career as a car salesman. Farming was also appealing to him. He farmed the remainder of his active life, first with his father, then with his beloved brother, Curtis, and his father. When his nephews grew to adolescence he delighted in their joining the farming operation every summer. Having no family of his own, he was very interested in each nephew and niece as they came into the family. At family gatherings he was a comfort in that he kept a watchful eye for their safety at play.

In 1955 he moved to his own farm, where, together with his parents, he built a new home. He cherished his home and the grounds surrounding it, frequently planting trees and shrubs and nurturing them.

Later in life he purchased a lakeshore vacation home in northern Minnesota. Accompanied by his widowed mother he spent time there every summer. Merlin was very interested in fishing. There he loved to fish in the company of family members who were vacationing in the region and with his friend from country school, Wesley Swenson. He retired from farming when it became necessary for his mother to have assistance, care and companionship and diligently saw to her needs until her death in 1984.

He loved to travel with family members. He was very observant of the flora and fauna of different areas of the country, especially when visiting the Hawaiian Islands.

He entered Green Hills Health Care Center, Ames, Iowa, in March 2004. There he appreciated the comfort of health care, attendant doctors, his pastor's visits, conversations with each attending nurse, the delicious meals, the association of other residents, and frequent visits from numerous family members, nephews, nieces, grand nephews and nieces. The regular, dedicated attention of his sister-in-law, Carolyn Johnson, Ames, and his niece, Carleen Anderson of Story City, brightened his days at the health center.

He is survived by his sister, Clarine (Johnson) Boyken and her husband, Edward Boyken, Titonka, Iowa, five nephews, Allan Boyken and his wife, Joy, Titonka; Jeffrey Boyken and his wife, Carolyn, Vierra, Florida; Dr. Mark Boyken and his wife, Barbra, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin; Karl Boyken and his wife, Diane, Iowa City; Quentin Boyken and his wife Inez, West Des Moines; six nieces, Catherine (Johnson) Frost and her husband, Curtis, Gales Ferry, Connecticut; Cynthia (Johnson) Hockman and her husband, Steven, Ankeny, Christine (Johnson) Smith and her husband, Rod, Midlothian, Texas; Carleen (Johnson) Anderson and her husband, Dave, Story City; Celeste (Johnson) Bresette and her husband, Jim, Columbia, Maryland; Colleen (Johnson) Marranto and her husband, Keith, Frankfort, Illinois; one sister-in-law, Carolyn Johnson, Ames.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Curtis W Johnson.