Arthur “Art” Harold Johnson, age 80, of Luverne, died Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
He was born February 28, 1944, in Viborg, South Dakota, to Harold and Eleanor (Christensen) Johnson. He grew up and lived around various South Dakota towns in the area. Art spent most of his summers at his uncle Selmer and Dorothy’s near Sherman, South Dakota. He attended country school until eighth grade. He began high school in Garretson, South Dakota, before attending Luverne High School. Art worked for various farmers growing up and worked for Leroy Johnson near Garretson and then for Bob Johnson near Luverne. He also helped build I-90 near Luverne.
In 1961 he joined the United States Navy at the age of seventeen. He was honorably discharged after nine weeks due to health issues. Art then moved to Sherman, South Dakota, and worked for his uncle, Selmer.
Art met and married Patricia Korthals in 1967. The couple were married for thirty years and raised two kids before life took them in separate ways. Art then worked for Elmer Veldkamp on the farm near Jasper. He later moved to George, Iowa, and worked as an over the road trucker. Art moved to Magnolia and worked for Jack Cragoe for thirteen years. He bought an acreage and milked a few cows for a few years.
He retired at the age of 63. He moved to Luverne and shared a life and home with Rhonda Nelson until he moved to the Mary Jane Brown Home in June of 2021.
He enjoyed working on model trains, going to tractor pulls and running his own Model A-39 John Deere, riding around the country and telling a good joke.
Art is survived by his daughter, Marie (Mark) Opheim, Hills; daughter-in-law, Sandy Johnson, Luverne; four grandchildren, Heath Wallenberg, Jeremy (Tara) Wallenberg, Eric (Dawn) Kooistra and Kristen (Justice) Mews; 15 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother, Donny Johnson, Valley Springs, South Dakota; and two sisters, Marilyn Madison, Adrian, and Darlene Nagel, Adrian.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Greg Johnson; and three brothers, David, Merlyn and Dennis Johnson.
A time of fellowship was from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, with a celebration of life at 6 p.m., at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. A private family burial will be in the Holland Cemetery, in Centerville, South Dakota, at a later date.
