David Johnson

David Johnson of Herman, passed away Sunday evening January 21, 2007 at his farm home in rural Herman. David was 95 years old. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2007, at 1:00 PM at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Herman. Pastor Jennifer Rose will officiate. Pallbearers will be all of Davids 12 grandchildren. Interment will be at Lakeside Cemetery in Herman. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Ranney Funeral Chapel in Herman. David Alfred Johnson was born in Herman, Minnesota on June 21, 1911. He was the son of Anton and Ida (Aberhanson) Johnson; immigrants from Sweden who came to the Herman community in the early 1900s. The family rented land east of Herman for a few years and in 1913 returned to Sweden, intending to stay. They quickly realized there was a much greater opportunity in the U.S. and returned to Herman where they purchased the land west of Herman which became their life long home. In 1932, David married Tillie Hedstrom, daughter of Andrew and Tilda Hedstrom, Herman residents and also Swedish immigrants. Five children were born into the family. David chose farming as his lifes work and worked together with his father and later with his son, Arvid. For many years they were engaged in the beef business. David loved the life of a farmer. He enjoyed and took pride in horses from the early days of working draft horses to the days in the late 50s and early 60s when he was a member of the Saddle Club of Morris, which won state fair competitions for many years. David, on his horse, Rock, won the state fair barrel race three consecutive years. His life experienced the transition in farming from horses and handwork to the mechanization of todays agribusiness. David is survived by his son Arvid and special friend Paula Perdoni of Herman, four daughters: Darlene (Don) Olson of St. Louis Park, MN, LaVonne (Al) Watson of Morris, Patricia (David) Grimsrud of Minneapolis, and Mayva Winburn of Houghton, South Dakota, 12 grandchildren: Mark, Steven and Beth Olson, Rick and Randy Van Horn, Debra Koehntop, Dawn Van Horn Long, Scott Winburn, Teanna Kuhlman, Bo Winburn Christopher and Stephen Grimsrud, 15great grandchildren, 1 sister-in-law: Nina Johnson and 1 brother-in-law: Dennis Hedstrom, both of Hoffman, MN, many nieces and nephews. David was preceded in death by wife Tillie in 1986, his parents, three sisters: Dorothy Nagel, Ellen Hegland and Elizabeth McCurdy, 1 grandson: Brian Van Horn.