Gordon E. Johnson
Oct. 9, 1923 - March 4, 2006
ATWATER -- Gordon E. Johnson, 82, of Atwater died Saturday at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar.
The service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atwater. Burial will be in the Union Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Atwater American Legion Post.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Atwater Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are preferred to Immanuel Lutheran Church.
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He was born Oct. 9, 1923, near Lake Lillian to Esther (Anderson) and Eddie Johnson. He attended the District 83 School until 1934 when his family moved to Atwater. In 1941, he graduated from Atwater High School. He served in the U.S. Army in Italy during World War II, receiving several awards and decorations including the Purple Heart. Following his discharge in 1945, he worked at the Grove City Elevator. For more than 30 years, he was the manager of the Peavey Elevator in Atwater.
He married Linnea Carlson Larson on Aug. 22, 1965, in Litchfield.
He was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church, and served as a confirmation mentor, Sunday School teacher, usher, church council member and communion minister to members in nursing homes. He was a member of the Atwater Area United Way for 25 years, a member of the Atwater Development Association, the Atwater American Legion Post and the Willmar VFW Post, a volunteer for the Atwater Block Nurse Program, treasurer of the Atwater Medical Center Board for 30 years, captain of the Atwater Horseshoe Traveling League Team for 25 years, a member of the Little Crow Ski Team and a substitute mail carrier for the Atwater and Grove City communities for 20 years.
In 1947, he formed the Atwater Legion Gunner Independent basketball team. He coached and volunteered with the Atwater American Legion baseball team. In 1996, the Little League baseball park was named the Gordy Johnson Little League Park. In the 1950s, he started water ski shows on Diamond Lake. He received the Atwater Good Neighbor Award in 1987, the Helping Hands Award in 1989, the Friend of the United Way Award and the Willmar Eagles Club's Humanitarian Award in 1998 and the Kandiyohi County Outstanding Senior Citizen Award in 2003.
He is survived by his wife; a daughter: Janet (and Wayne) Reich of Atwater; three grandchildren; and a sister: Lorraine Johnson of Willmar.
He was preceded in death by two sisters.
