Grace Johnson

Grace Johnson, age 84 of Fosston, MN passed away on Friday, October 2nd at the Stadter Center in Grand Forks, ND. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 7th at 2:00 PM at Kingo Lutheran Church in Fosston with Rev. John Ragan officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 6th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston, and there will also be reviewal for one hour before the funeral at the church on Wednesday afternoon. Interment will be at Kingo Lutheran Cemetery in Fosston. The Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston is in charge of the arrangements. Messages of condolence may be sent to carlinhoialmen.com. Grace Wilma Benson was born to William R and Gunda (Bergeth) Benson in Rugby, North Dakota on June 27, 1931. Grace was born seventh of 12 children, spending her early years in Devils Lake, North Dakota. Grace's father was a foreman for Siouxline Railroad and moved his family to Clearbrook, Minnesota for Grace's last couple years of high school. She graduated high school there. While attending school in Clearbrook she met her future husband, Jerome "Bud" Johnson of Fosston, MN, while she was working as a ticket taker at Pinelake Pavillion. They were married July 16, 1949, at Kingo Lutheran Church, Fosston, MN. They honeymooned in Duluth, MN for only three days because Bud's father said the barley was ready to harvest. They made their home for the first 20 years in Fosston, moving to East Grand Forks, MN, where Bud moved his business, and then returned to Fosston in 1991 after Bud retired. While living in Fosston, Bud and Grace were blessed with five children: Steven, Michael, Deborah, Timothy and Mark. She worked at the Fosston Jewelry Store, Norby's Department Store, Davis Jewelry and Poppler's Music in Grand Forks, ND. Grace was a woman of faith, and she and Bud raised their family accordingly, keeping the family active in Kingo Lutheran Church. Music was one love. She had a beautiful voice and would always be singing at home, intentionally embarrassing her children when they had friends over. Grace combined her love of singing with her faith, singing in Kingo choir and also singing solos and in small women's groups at her Kingo church and at local weddings and funerals. She made sure her kids sang in Kingo choir also. Her gifts were singing, making lefse, potato salad, "glorified rice" salad, baking buns and cinnamon rolls, and loving her family. Grace was also fond of arts and crafts, and her many creations decorated her home. She also liked watching golf on TV and the Vikings. On Friday, October 2, 2015 Grace passed away at the Stadter Center in Grand Forks, ND at the age of 84 years. Grace was a very loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was very proud of each of them. She is survived by grandchildren Tracy Johnson Lee Hendrickson (Greg) of Fosston, MN; Travis Johnson (Sarah), St. Cloud, MN; Tyler Johnson, Fosston, MN; Tannar Johnson, Brookings, SD; Chantal Engel (Dustin), Watertown, SD; Taylor Tesch (Rebecca), Sabin, MN; Charity Mealman (Ken), Buffalo, MN, and Destiny Johnson, Buffalo, MN. Grace is also survived by husband Jerome "Bud" Johnson, Fosston; son Dr. Michael (Gaynell) Johnson, Watertown, SD; daughters in law Kathy Johnson, Fosston, MN and Karen Johnson, Grand Forks, ND; sisters Yvonne Woody, Gilbert, AZ, and Sharon Henke, Devils Lake, ND; brother Richard Benson, Cutbank, MT; and her former daughter-in-law and dear friend, Karen Srur, Fargo, ND. Grace was preceded in death by her parents, nine brothers and sisters, sons Steven, Timothy, and Mark, her daughter Deborah, and a great granddaughter, Miranda.