Merlin JOHNSON

JOHNSON, SPORAA, FJETLAND, CZECH, KRAMER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/19/2008 at 20:23:48

MESERVEY - Merlin Johnson, 82, of Meservey passed away Monday (Sept. 15, 2008) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. Funeral services for Merlin Johnson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at the First Reformed Church in Meservey with Pastor Rodney Meester officiating. Burial will be in the Alexander cemetery. Visitation for Merlin Johnson will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today, Sept. 18, at the Dugger Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane S., Belmond, and one hour prior to services on Friday at the church. Memorials may be directed to North Iowa Hospice in his memory.

Merlin Johnson, son of Cornelius and Johanna Sporaa Johnson, was born at the family home near Alexander. He attended school in Alexander, graduating from Alexander High School in 1944. After graduation, Merlin farmed with his father on the family farm. Merlin was united in marriage to Donna Fjetland on Oct.14, 1949. The couple made their home for a time in the Alexander area before moving to Clear Lake. In Clear Lake, Merlin and Donna ran and owned the Johnson Paint and Gift Store from 1964 until 1991. After a move to Meservey in 1991, he worked for a time as a security guard at Eaton Corp. in Belmond. Merlin enjoyed the outdoors and fishing. Alaska was one of his favorite places, as he made countless trips to spend time there. He loved his family and spending time with his grandchildren brought him great joy. He also enjoyed being able to help friends out with numerous paint jobs. Merlin was a member of the Clear Lake Lions Club. He was an active member of the First Reformed Church in Meservey.

Merlin is survived by his wife, Donna; his three sons, Randy (Ann Marie) of Anchorage, Alaska, Terry of Burnsville, Minn., and Jeff of Lake Louise, Alaska; grandchildren, Brian Johnson and Laura Czech; great-granddaughter Mariah Johnson; sister Verna Kramer of Darwin, Minn.; and brother Roman (Wilma) Johnson of Alexander. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters. Dugger Funeral Home.

Mason City Globe Gazette
September 18, 2008