The funeral service for Virgel R. Johnson, of New Richland, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Vista Lutheran Church, rural New Richland. The Rev. Charles Espe and Intern Cary Larson will officiate. Interment will be in the Vista Lutheran Cemetery, rural New Richland. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Friedrich Funeral Home, New Richland, and one hour before the service at the church.

Virgel died on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004, at Immanuel-St. Joseph Hospital in Mankato. He was 91.

He was born on March 9,1913, on the Johnson Farm, rural New Richland, the son of Ernest and Hannah (Johnson) Johnson. He attended rural District #85 Country School and graduated from New Richland High School in 1931.

Virgel married Orella Severson on Oct. 12, 1940, at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Richland.

Virgel spent his life farming , and was the third generation Johnson to farm on the Johnson family farm northeast of New Richland. He was a member of Vista Lutheran Church where he was active on church council and the church brotherhood. He had been a clerk for District #85 Waseca County Schools and also served as a director for the Lemond Shipping Association. Virgel loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, seeing them participate in their 4-H activities or anything they were involved with. He also had a great interest in horses.

He is survived by his son, Odean Johnson and his wife Andrea of New Richland; five grandchildren: Roxanne Johnson of Hartland, Keith Johnson and wife Kerri of New Richland, Rochelle and her husband Chris Compart of Nicollet, Raeleen Johnson and special friend Kip Boese of New Richland, Kyle Johnson of Eden Prairie and his special friend Jen Eickhoff and daughters, Ali and Ashley; great-grandchildren: Kelby and Kaleb Johnson of New Richland, Sara and Dustin Compart of Nicollet, and Taylor Bolinger and Arin Boese of New Richland; sisters: Esther Marie Edman of Fairmont, and Ida Johnson of St. Paul; and nieces and

nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Orella, in 1986; sisters: Ethel Swenson, Mildred

Raymond Johnson.