Helen Johnson, 71
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Funeral services for Helen Juline Johnson, 71, of Albert Lea, were at 10:30 a.m. today at Hartland Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Rev. Dennis Schmidt officiated. Interment will be in the Hartland Cemetery. Visitation was from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church . To sign the guestbook, go to www.bayview funeral.com.
Helen died on Friday, April 9, 2010, at St. John’s Lutheran Home.
Helen Juline Johnson was born on Nov. 18, 1938, in Albert Lea, the daughter of Elmer and Harriet (Schmidt) Butenhoff. She was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, and attended Albert Lea High School. Helen was united in marriage to Gene C. Johnson on Jan. 3, 1959, in Northwood, Iowa. They made their home in Hartland from 1959 until 1994 when they moved to Albert Lea.
Helen was an active member of the Hartland Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving as a Sunday School Teacher, a member of the Naomi Circle and a member and past president of the Ladies’ Aid. She worked for the Co-op Creamery in Albert Lea, Stampers in Wells, Herter’s in New Richland, and was a day care provider from 1967 until her retirement in 2004. Helen was also a member of the Hartland Elementary School Mother’s Club. She enjoyed traveling, camping, gardening, sewing, and spending time with family, friends, and her two cats. She immensely enjoyed the time she spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and attending their many events.
Survivors include her husband, Gene; mother, Harriet; children: Rodney (Kim) of Waseca, Debra (Corey) Hennessey of Rochester, Gregory of New Richland and Todd (Diana) of Albert Lea; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; four step grandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; brothers: Gerald of Chalfont, Pa., Keith of Albert Lea, and Roger of Manly, Iowa; sisters: Marlys Jensen of Albert Lea, Lois Martinson of Mankato, Twyla Bruns of Lynbrook, N.Y., and Ruth (Dean) Johnson of Hartland; and many in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Helen was preceded in death by her father, Elmer; her father-in-law, Carl; mother-in-law, Ida; granddaughter, Angela Johnson; brothers-in-law, Albert Johnson and Lloyd Baker and twin brothers-in-law in infancy; and by sisters-in-law, Ruth Butenhoff and Darlene Butenhoff.