To view the funeral service, click here: https://youtu.be/bD8vri9AwGY

Richard Johnson, 87, Kenmare, formerly of Tolley, died Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, at his home.
The Richard Johnson Story:  I was born Jan. 6, 1934, at home to second generation Scandinavian immigrants, Newell Everett and Alice Sophie (Knutson) Johnson, Stafford Township, in north central North Dakota. I was told it was a cold prairie winter day. I was the sixth of nine children.
I was big for my age as a young child. I was the biggest and meanest one in school. I could beat-up anybody – even the teachers. And I could run fast. I like playing ball, spearing fish, and playing in the water, the Mouse River that is.
One of my favorite things was shocking grain with Grandpa Pete. Between the two of us, we could out do the husky guys. I bought my first bicycle when I was about 10 or 11. I saved up the money from trapping weasels. I ordered a bike complete with a battery-operated flashlight headlight from the Montgomery Ward catalog. That first day I rode and rode. I sure did have some sore muscles. I spent a lot of time with my brother, Kenneth, who was three and a half years older than me. Our age difference sometimes led to trouble. He shot me in the nose once with a bow and arrow.
I was always a rather curious type. I was a fire bug. I nearly burned the house down on two different occasions. If it wasn't for the wash tub being there that first time, I would have burned the house down and me with it. The second time I burned the steps off the house but the fire department was able to save the house and most of the connecting shed.
I attended a country school with my older brothers and sisters. If I didn't go to school then I had to work on the threshing machine keeping the grain box level. That was a dirty job for a little guy, so I went to school. I thought school was fun. My best friends in school were my cousins. I was called "Bull John Henderson."  "Bull" because of my size and willingness to fight and "Henderson" because there was a boxer or somebody back then with that name. School was easy. I sluffed off a lot.  My grades were always pretty good.  No A+'s but good enough considering I never studied or put too much effort into anything. I quit school three months into the ninth grade. I was smarter than the teacher anyway. Well, maybe she was almost as smart as me.
In some ways, I regret not continuing in school, but education was just not as important then as it is now. If I would have stayed in school, I think I would have liked to have been a banker since I like handling money. In my opinion, education is a life-long process. You get more education with age, up to a certain point, then you start losing it.
When my older brothers had all left home and joined the military, there was a need for help on the farm. There was even a greater need when my father had a severe heart attack. I was doing all the farming by the time I was seventeen.
I farmed my entire life. I enjoyed farming. You can see what you are doing. You can watch your crops grow. It doesn't seem like work. It is like building a house, you can see what you are doing.
Throughout the years, I also raised cattle which I really enjoyed, most of the time. I raised buffalo for a few years but then sold them all but one. It was too sick to sell.  We thought it was going to die. Guess what? It's still living. The only buffalo in a herd of cattle. They seem to get along just fine, for now.
I've always liked history, particularly the Civil War to World War II era. I also find Native American history very interesting. I've accumulated a collection of artifacts over the years. I've enjoyed visiting museums.  My children may not have always enjoyed those trips, but I sure did. For me, the ultimate museum was the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Everybody should see that!
I love the outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing. Game and fish were plentiful in the valley in those early years. The older I've become the less game and fish I brought home which of course has nothing to do with my increasing age.  I did have the opportunity to travel to Alaska and to shoot a caribou. The mounted head and antlers hung over the staircase for years. If you didn't duck, you would have a close encounter of a "caribou kind."
All the years I and my family lived along the Mouse River, I never had to rescue anyone who had fallen through the ice. Then there was me. I decided to go out for a walk in the new snow. I had taught my kids to always check the ice before walking out on it. A parent doesn't always have to do what they tell their kids. Right? Well, I didn't, and I fell through. The house was full of kids and grandkids. They didn't know where I went. If it wasn't for freezing the sleeves of my jacket on the ice to pull myself out. I never would have survived. I never did that again.
I've had the pleasure of being involved in various organizations and boards: Sherwood Public School board, Our Savior Lutheran Church as member and on the board, Sportsman Club, Stafford Township board, Tolley Grain Growers Elevator board, Renville County Weed board, Renville Bottineau Ag Improvement Association board, Citizens United to Save the Valley board, Elks Club, National Rifle Association, Mouse River Park board. I was a Harvest Bowl recipient in 1977 and received the Centennial Award for the farm in 1989.
My family has enriched my life with their various personalities and talents. Myrna and I grew up only four
miles apart and knew each other our entire lives. No surprise that I would marry that beautiful 18-year-old.
And that's the God's truth!
On behalf of the Richard's family, thank you for your unique role, whether friend or family, that you had in our father's story, the decisions made, the friendships that evolved, the problems solved, the cows chased, the successful (or not so successful) hunting adventures, the community projects, the games won and lost.  A particular 'thank you' to Bernie Knutson for keeping an eye on our father after his move to Kenmare.
Family: children, Sally May, Minot, Carol (Glen) Southam, Jamestown, Kirk (Martha) Johnson, rural Sherwood, Faye Clausen, Minot, Ruth (William III) Stanley, Sherwood; grandchildren, Andrew May, Tonya (Jon) Perkins, Kerri (Rhett) Benning, Kari (Pat) Ely, Jared Johnson, Kirsten Helseth, Christopher Clausen, Ryan Clausen, William (Lauren) Stanley IV, Whitney (Justin) Aberle, Wyatt Stanley, and Waylon (Morgan Raap) Stanley; great-grandchildren, Braxton Perkins, Kyler Perkins, Etta Perkins, Kaleb Benning, Bree Benning, Addie Benning, Jace Ely, Barrett Ely, Brekkyn Ely, Finn Clausen, Willow Clausen, Harper Stanley, Beckett (William V) Stanley, Gage Aberle, Kroix Aberle, Berkley Aberle, Blayklee Schell; sisters, Marjorie Sundahl, Mohall, Judith (David) Homan, Omaha, Neb.; extended family, brother-in-law, Wayne (Crystal) Johnson; sister-in-law, Zella (Don) Ackerson; and nieces, nephews and cousins, of which there are many.
Richard was preceded in death by: wife, Myrna Johnson; brothers, Robert, Donovan, Kenneth and Paul; infant-brother, John; and sister, Delores Lamb; granddaughter, Claudia May; son-in-law, Larry May.
Funeral: 11 a.m., Monday, August 23, 2021, at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Sherwood.
Burial: Rosehill Cemetery, rural Norma.
Family Service: 7 p.m., Sunday, August 22, 2021, at the church.
Visitation: noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, at Brose Funeral Home, Mohall.  Friends may also sign the online guestbook at brosefuneralhome.com.