Merlin Johnson

Oct. 15, 1921-Feb. 18, 2020

MINNEOTA — Services for Merlin Johnson, 98, of Minneota, will take place at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minneota. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. today with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Rehkamp-Horvath Funeral Home in Minneota. Visitation will continue on from 10-11 a.m. Friday at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at cemetery in Westerheim Township.

Merlin passed away at the Minneota Manor on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.

Merlin John Johnson was born Oct. 15, 1921, in Westerheim Township, to Adelstein and Anne (Esping) Johnson. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school until the 8th grade. He then attended the West Central School of Agriculture in Morris where he graduated in 1940.

In 1946, Merlin married Florence Kuchera in Ivanhoe and spent the rest of his life with her. They lived on the home farm where they raised their four children. In 2017, they moved to the Madison Avenue Apartments in Minneota.

Merlin was a very active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, a member of the Westerheim Cemetery Board and a member of the Lutheran Brotherhood. His interests included not only farming, but hunting and trapping on his land in younger years, and later, watching his children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren grow. Along with his pride for his family, Merlin was proud of his Icelandic heritage and was able to travel with his son to Iceland in 2001. He was also made an honorary member of the Icelandic Association of Minnesota.

Merlin, Merlie, Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa will be remembered as a humble, smart man who loved to listen, visit and always interjected a little humor into his stories.

Merlin is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Florence; son, Ken (Jan) Johnson of Foley; daughters, Pat Brennecke of Mahtomedi, Denise (Mike) Ahmann of Minneota, Gail (Don) Yutrzenka of Argyle; grandchildren, Adam (Holly) Johnson, Luke (Amber) Johnson, Sarah Brennecke, Elliot (Mandy) Brennecke, Claire (Kevin) Brennecke, Abby (Joe) Thostenson, Candice Ahmann, and Connor, Lance and Max Yutrzenka; great-grandchildren, Zachary and Hannah Johnson, Hudson, Alexis and Ivy Thostenson, and Reeve and Kellen Ahmann; sister-in-law Alta Johnson and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-mother Clara; brothers, Orlando (Irene) Johnson and Gordon Johnson; sisters, Arlet (Al) Olson, Annabelle (Francis) Claeys and Esther Johnson; sister-in-law Marie (Mike) Karolczak; and grandson Craig Ahmann.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Arrangements by:

Rehkamp-HorvathFuneral Directors

Minneota, Minnesota