Donald Johanson

Donald Johanson, age 93, of Wheaton, Minnesota passed away Friday, December 21, 2018 at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton.

Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Cheryl Berg officiating. Organist will be LeAnn Bjornson.

Interment will be in Wildwood Cemetery, Wheaton. Pallbearers will be Chris O'Hara, Ryan O'Hara, Lance Lundquist, Chad Birchem, Jeremy Johanson and Eric Johanson. Honorary Pallbearers will be All of Donald's grandchildren. Military Rites will be provided by the Merton Dale American Legion Post #80.

Visitation will be held Wednesday morning from 9:30 a.m. until service time at the church.

Donald Peter Johanson was born October 5, 1925 to Algot and Hildur (Hammersten) Johanson in Wheaton, MN. Don attended Wheaton Public Schools. As a young man, he began to work at the Wheaton Creamery until entering the service in the U.S. Marine Corp. during WWII. He was in the invasion of Okinawa, Japan, on Easter Sunday 1945. While he was there, he was hit by shrapnel in the face and was shot in the foot. He boarded a medical ship and was sent to Tinian for recuperation. It was there that he received his Purple Heart. He did return to his unit but the war ended and he returned to Wheaton.

On February 22, 1947, he married Yvonne Lundquist whom he had known since his seventh birthday. Don and Yvonne moved to Minneapolis/Richfield where Don drove a milk truck and street cars, then later sanded hardwood floors. Both Dwight and Craig were born in Minneapolis and lived there until 1958 when they moved back to Wheaton. Don began work at Lundquist Implement (later known as Summer's Implement) until the implement closed. He then took a job at Loberg Ford in Wahpeton, then at Wheaton Oil until retirement.

Besides Don's full-time jobs, he also was janitor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for many years and then delivered the Fargo Forum until well into his 80's, considering it good exercise.

Don and Yvonne were married 69 years before Yvonne passed away in 2016. They were inseparable during their lives together, enjoying many road trips to MN State Parks, trips to Florida to see friends or even the occasional trip to the south dam to search for eagles.

Comfort comes with knowing they are together again.

Don is survived by two sons: Dwight (Mary) Johanson of Rosholt, SD; and Craig (Sue) Johanson of Brandon, MN; five grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; one sister Betty Lehman of Sun City, AZ and one brother Gary (Donna) Johanson also of Sun City, AZ; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers: Verne, Richard, Leslie and Owen Johanson.