Obit: Johnson, Merton Darrel (1921 - 2006)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bowe, Hatlestad, Hodowanic, Johnson, Lenhart, Midthlein, Olynick, Schmidt, Weedman, Wickland

----Source: The Plombon Funeral Home (Stanley, WI) 2/26/2006

Johnson, Merton Darrel (6 MAR 1921 - 24 JAN 2006)

Merton Darrel Johnson, age 84, former resident of the town of Colburn, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 24, 2006, at the Our House Memory Care Facility in Chippewa Falls, Wis., with his family by his side.

Services will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2006, at 11 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls, with Pastor Ned Lenhart and Pastor James Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery, Stanley. Friends and family may call on Friday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Plombon Funeral Chapel in Stanley and one hour prior to service time on Saturday morning at the church. Plombon Funeral Service is assisting the family with arrangements.

Merton was born March 6, 1921, in Stanley, the son of Milton and Helen (Hatlestad) Johnson. He grew up in the rural Stanley area and was baptized and confirmed by Rev. Midthlein at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Stanley. He attended area schools, graduating from Stanley High School in 1939. He then worked for Madison Silos before enlisting and serving his country in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945 during WWII as a carpenters mate on the U.S.S. Long Island. He received the Good Conduct Medal, American Area Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. After returning from his tour of duty he was united in marriage to Dorothy Hodowanic on November 13, 1946, at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Clayton, Wis. They purchased a farm near Gilman where they raised their nine children, and resided there until 1980 when they moved to Lake Wissota where Merton worked for Cigan Implement and as a custodian for Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls for 17 years. He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Chippewa Falls, and the Gilman American Legion.

Merton will be sadly missed by his wife, Dorothy of Chippewa Falls; his sons, Wayne Johnson of Gilman, James (Claudia) Johnson of Edgerton, Wis., Richard (Monica) Johnson of Gilman and Dale Johnson of Eau Claire; and his daughters, Phyllis (Wayne) Schmidt of Eau Claire, Debbie Weedman of Fort Wayne, Ind., Carol (Mark) Bowe of Chippewa Falls and Christine (John) Wickland of Chippewa Falls. He is also survived by his 11 grandchildren, Nathan, Katie, Eric, Michael and Sarah Johnson, Mikel (Chris) Olynick, Vicki and Adam Johnson, Kendra and Kayla Bowe and Alexa Wickland.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Donald in Vietnam; a daughter-in-law, Patti Johnson; and two brothers, Nordahl and Paul Johnson.

The family is grateful for the wonderful care Merton received at Our House Memory Care and, prior to that, the Day Break Adult Day Care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gilman or Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls.