Marvin Ailt Johnson

Marvin A. Johnson, age 81, Bryant, formerly of Willow Lake, died in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown on Monday afternoon, April 5, 2010. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 9, 2010 at 10:30 AM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with The Reverend Richard Poppen officiating. Music will be provided by Jody Symens as organist with Gaylen Grensburg and Loris Kannegieter singing. There will also be congregational singing. Honorary casketbearers will be all of his friends. The active casketbearers will be Nordean and Nolan Froke, Myron and Marshall Edleman and Arba and Ron Johnson. Burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5-7PM at the Church in Willow Lake and will continue Friday morning in the Church after 9AM. He was born on November 14, 1928 on a farm 7 miles south of Willow Lake, the son of Arba and Elnora (Alberts) Johnson. He attended country school through the eighth grade. During his younger years, Marvin was well known in the area as one of the best pitchers in the league. He played for a team in Yale. He and other members of his family were afflicted with polio in the late 1940s and his two brothers, Ruedell and Donald both died from the disease in 1948, while in treatment in Huron. After his health condition improved, he returned to the family farm and continued working the land. His Dad died in 1961 and Marvin and his Mother continued living and working the farm. He was very devoted to the care and well being of his Mother until her death in 1987. Following his Mothers death, Marvin continue living and working the farm until other health issues forced him to retire. He has been living in the Parkview Care Center in Bryant off and on since 2004. Besides the love of the land, Marvin enjoyed being an avid hunter and fisherman. He was also very good at bow hunting. Some of his favorite times were spent playing cards, especially pinochle. Marvin was a lifetime member of the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake where he served as an elder, deacon, Sunday School superintendent and Sunday School teacher. Music was a big part of his life as well, singing in the Church Choir, the Mens Chorus and singing at many funerals over the years. Since living in Parkview, he cherished the friendship of Marvel Davidson who shared many times of devotion with Marvin. In the farm country neighborhood he served as the clerk of the Pleasant Township Board for many years. Preceding him in death were his parents, Arba and Elnora Johnson, brothers, Ruedell and Donald Johnson and sister, Lois Ann Johnson in 1935. Survivors include many cousins, other relatives and a host of friends including a very special friend, Marvel Davidson of Bryant. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family. There is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com