Joseph E. JOHNSON

JOHNSON, GREENE, POTTER, KUDJE, HUMMEL, HEIVILIN, RYDEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/7/2011 at 19:26:41

15 June 1865 -- 3 July 1948

Funeral services for Joseph E. Johnson were held at the Methodist Church in Klemme, Iowa on July 6, 1948. Rev. Herschel E. Harvey officiated the service. Pallbearers were Leo Esbeck, Earl Schaeffer, C.G. Waterman, John Etchen, Lloyd Lau, and Verner Priebe. Interment was in the family lot in the Ell Township Cemetery, Klemme, Iowa.

Joseph E. Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Johnson, was born in Nottja, Sweden June 15, 1865. He was the eldest in a family of four children. Mr. Johnson attended the public schools in Sweden. He became a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Nottja at the age of 15 years, by conformation. He together with his parents, his brother John and sister, Hulda, came to America in 1880 and made their home at Seneca, Illinois. He was united in marriage to Miss Anna Sophia Ryden of Chicago, Illinois, on December 31, 1889. The couple lived for the next twelve years on a farm near Morris, Illinois. In 1902 they came with their family to their own farm near Klemme, Ia., where they continued farming for 16 years. In 1918 they left the farm and Mr. Johnson was engaged in the livestock business until 1939 when he retired. After moving into town, Mr. Johnson affiliated with the Klemme Methodist Church by confession of faith, in which fellowship he remained until the end, being faithful in its support by his attendance, his prayers, his gifts and his service.

Heaven blessed this home with ten children, three sons and seven daughters. His wife and two daughters preceded him to that great beyond. Mr. Johnson reached the age of 83 years and 18 days. It was cancer which rapidly brought his life to a close on July 3, 1948. There are left to mourn his passing eight sons and daughters, namely: Mrs. G. C. Greene, Los Angeles, Cal.; Clarence Johnson, Renwick, Iowa; George Johnson, Mason City, Iowa; Arthur Johnson, Klemme, Iowa; Mrs. Oliver D. Potter, Mason City, Iowa; Mrs. Arthur J. Kudje, Klemme, Iowa; Mrs. Dwight R. Hummel, Klemme, Iowa; Mrs. Stuart Heivilin, Mason City, Iowa.