Memorial services for Ellen L. Johnson, of Albert Lea, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. James Kassera will officiate. Interment will be at a later date in Hillcrest Cemetery. Friends may visit with family one hour before services at the church.

Ellen died on Feb. 27, 2014, at St. John’s Lutheran Community, in Albert Lea. She was 85.

She was born on Jan. 6, 1929, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Ray and Martha Mary (Jensen) Heskett.

She attended rural country school near Albert Lea. Ellen had worked at Land O Lakes and then at Halverson School in Albert Lea as a lunch monitor.

She married Edwin Nyman; eight children were born of this union. They were later divorced. She later married Dale E. Johnson.

Ellen enjoyed gardening, canning, playing bingo and collecting, especially antiques.  She had a great love for her children and  her entire family.

Ellen is survived by seven children, Mary West of Albert Lea, Linda (Gus) Turner of  Middletown ,N.Y., Bob (Sherry) Nyman of Albert Lea, Dianne (Eugene) Knudtson of Albert Lea, Karen Woods of Albert Lea, Susan Nyman of Rochester and Wendy (Andy) Grafe of Grand Meadow. Grandchildren are Shelley West, Angela West, Sheila Nyman, Allison (Mark) Ganrude, Chad (Chelsea) Knudtson, Felicia (Russ) Mezera, Ryan Knudtson, Brandon (Daisy) Woods, Dustin Woods, Rachel (Tony) Whelan, Derrick Nyman, Jennifer Strieff, Beau (Rachel) Westrum, Dana Westrum, Shay Westrum, Jessica Grafe and Sydney Grafe. Great-grandchildren are Chelsie West, Levi West, special friend Lyndee Hason, Dylan Kruckeberg, Chance Edsen, Eddie Nyman, Kaleb, Harley, Lottie Nyman, Damon, Heaven and Jasmine Ganrude, Vanessa, Hannah, Tony Jr. Whelan, Jarek Woods, Brendan, Kaiden Strieff, Alexis Westrum, Cooper, Rhys Westrum, Owen Knudtson and Hailie Knudtson.

Great-great-granddaughter is Emery West.

Sisters are Elsie Egge, Eldora Johnson, Evelyn Nielsen and Elaine Manges, all of Albert Lea. Brother is Frank Heskett of Albert Lea. Sister-in-law is Doris Heskett of Albert Lea. She had many wonderful nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dale E. Johnson, her ex-husband, Edwin Nyman, brother Marvin and his wife, Mabel, Cecil Heskett, brothers-in-law Harold Egge, Norman Johnson, Paul Nielson and Hank Manges; sisters-in-law Darlene Heskett and Marylou Heskett; a son in infancy; great-grandson Gage Knudtson; and another in infancy; son-in-law, Dean West; nephew, Michael Heskett.