Erland "Bud" Johnson

Erland "Bud" Johnson, age 78, of Clark died Sunday, June 2, 2019 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN with family by his side.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM on Sunday, June 9 at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark and one hour prior to services.

Funeral services will be held Monday, June 10, 2019 at 1 PM at the Clark United Methodist Church with Pastor Mark Tracy officiating. Pat Seefeldt will be the pianist, Wanda Bethke will be the organist and Pam Grensberg and Janet Hallberg will sing a duet. Honorary casket bearers will be Jake and Ardis Sprang, Everett and Erlene Hanson, Larry and Kathy McHenry and all of Bud's nieces and nephews. Active casket bearers will be Cole Hinzman, Hunter Johnson, Dave Johnson, Mike Johnson, Steve Hartley and Joel Nichols. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery of rural Clark.

Erland Douglas Johnson was born June 29, 1940 to parents John E. and Carrie (Schaaf) Johnson. "Bud", as he became known, grew up on a farm near Elrod in Clark County. He attended elementary school at Elrod and graduated from Clark High School in 1958 where he was an outstanding football player, FFA member and a member of the Mixed Chorus and Glee Club.  Following high school, he attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell where he was offered both a football scholarship and a music scholarship.  He chose to play football for one year but then decided to return home to marry his high school sweetheart, Margie Nichols. They were married September 19, 1959 in Flandreau, SD. For a brief time, they lived in Milbank where Bud worked for Fleet Wholesale. From there the couple moved to Watertown where he worked for Bard and Wika/NAPA Auto Parts. In 1980 he became a part owner and in 1984, he sold his share and opened the NAPA store in Clark, coming back to his hometown. Bud retired in 2011.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting with his brothers, son, and granddaughter, and trap shooting. Bud loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren and visit with anyone and everyone.  A trip into the NAPA store for parts usually took a little longer as some conversation was always part of the stop. A special ritual was the Monday Night Elrod group gatherings. His family and friends will long remember Bud for his friendly smile, his ability to sing and break into song at any given notice and his familiar Old Spice cologne scent.

He has been a member of the Clark United Methodist Church for over 30 years and served as an usher there for many years, a past member of the Watertown Methodist Church, and a current Lions Club member where he had served as a past president.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Harold (Clarine) Johnson, Morris "Bob" (Lucille) Johnson and Marlin Johnson, and a granddaughter, Adyson Hinzman.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his wife of nearly sixty years, Margie; his children Dale (Jane) Johnson of Summerset, SD and Karen (Troy) Hinzman of Mission Viejo, CA; grandchildren Miranda (Trevor) Carlin, Hunter Johnson, Cole Hinzman, McKenna Hinzman, and Chloe Hinzman, great grandchildren Greyson and Chase Carlin; sister-in-law, Joan Johnson of Aberdeen and an honorary brother, Howard (Diane) Easthouse of Henry.

Arrangements are being handled by the Furness Funeral Home where there is an online registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com .