Funeral services for August Holland Johnson, 86, of Albert Lea, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Calvary Baptist Church. The Revs. Bob Weniger and Roger Davies will officiate. Interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery with Military Honors accorded by the Freeborn County veterans organizations. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service.
August died peacefully, surrounded by his family, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.
August Holland Johnson was born on the family farm in Lincoln Township, Feb. 1, 1922, to Joseph and Ellen (Cochran) Johnson. He attended school in the area through the eighth grade. August accepted Christ at the age of nine years and was baptized in the lake near Lincoln Baptist Church. He married Alice Jenkins on Oct. 27, 1943, in Lake Crystal. That same year he went off to serve in the United States Army Air Force during World War II on the European front. August was shot down over Berlin and was held in the POW camp Stalaz 17B in Krems, Austria, for one year. After the war he returned to Lake Crystal. The family moved to Albert Lea in 1957 and August was employed at Wilson & Co. as a USDA meat inspector. August was a devoted member of Calvary Baptist Church and a friend to everyone he met. August was a devoted father and grandfather-he loved to tease and go fishing with them.
Survivors include his wife, Alice; children, Judith Johnson of Minneapolis, Jeanne Sumnicht and her husband David of Richfield, and Diane Vietor and her husband Mike of Albert Lea; five grandchildren, Cory and Jing Yun and their son Dylan August Vietor, Chad Vietor, Sara and Jamey Anderson and their children Alexis, J.D., and Jacey, Katie and Brian Bispala and their children, Sydney August, and Aiden, and Matthew and Katie Sumnicht; and brother, Arlo and wife Vernette Johnson of New Ulm.
August was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and four sisters.
Memorials are preferred to Calvary Baptist Church, St. Marys Hospital, Rochester or a mission of your choice.