Alfred O. JOHNSON

JOHNSON, ANDERSON, EKELAND, BOREL, RETTERATH

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/10/2015 at 12:36:08

September 17, 1942 --- January 6, 2015

Alfred Johnson, 72, of Kanawha passed away and went to heaven on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at his home. Funeral services for Alfred Johnson will be held on Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 1:30 PM at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, 2211 130th Street rural Belmond with Pastor James Harbaugh officiating. Burial will take place at St. Olaf Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held Saturday, January 10, 2015 from 1:00-4:00 PM at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Sunday.

Alfred was born in Clarion, Iowa, to Leonard and Gladys (Anderson) Johnson on September 17, 1942. He was baptized, confirmed, and attended St. Olaf Lutheran Church of rural Belmond. He attended rural school at Norway Township No. 6 through 6th grade and graduated from Kanawha High School in 1960. At 15 years of age his father passed away and that is when Alfred started to farm where he now lived. In 1960 he attended the Reisch America School of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa. He auctioned at St. Olaf Church Bazaars, five farm sales and the Kanawha Sale Barn. In 1964 he was drafted into the Army and served until 1966 during the Vietnam Conflict. He was stationed in Manheim, Germany with a supply company, Sp/4.

On December 15, 1972 Alfred married Donna Borel of Clarion and to this union three children were born, Brent, René, and Darren. At the age of 46 Alfred had a heart attack and had been battling with heart issues since. In 2014 he was entered into an emphysema study in Rochester, Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic, and improvements were shown. Alfred enjoyed his children, grandchildren, farming, Minnesota fishing trips with the guys, gardening, raising and cleaning chickens with family, and took pride in his sweet corn patch. He also enjoyed working part-time at North Iowa Wood Products in Belmond.

Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Donna, children, Brent (Terra) Johnson of Clarion, René (Dan) Retterath of Elma, and Darren (Jody) Johnson of Clarion; grandchildren: Chloe, Remi (Brent); Dakota, Abigail, Lily (René); Jordyn, Jadyn, Indy, Madden (Darren); brother Edwin Johnson of Belmond; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Alfred’s mother Gladys Ekeland passed away 18 hours after Alfred. Alfred was preceded in death by his father Leonard in 1957 and step-father Sherman Ekeland in 2005.

Ewing Funeral Home - Clarion, Iowa
http://www.ewingfh.com/obituaries.php?id=833