Ross D. Johnson

Ross Johnson Sioux Falls. Ross Johnson, 83, died Thursday, October 8, 2009 at Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls, SD. Memorial services will be at 2:00pm Monday, October 12, 2009 at St. John American Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls. Arrangements by Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home, Parker. Ross DeWitt Johnson was born on April 11, 1926 at St. Paul, MN. He grew up at Parker, SD where he was raised by his grandmother Ella Johnson Nibert and graduated from Parker High School in 1944. During WW II he served in the US Army in Korea as a medic. Following his discharge from the service he went to work for I.J. Lund Electric and later owned and operated the business as Johnson Electric. He married Rosemary McWhirter in 1945. In 1969 he moved the business to Vermillion. On June 11, 1976 he was united in marriage to Marilyn D. Okerlund at Vermillion, SD. They moved to Sioux Falls in 2005. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to fish, hunt, camp, and play golf. He was a member of St. John American Lutheran Church, the Parker Masonic Lodge, El Riad Shrine, VFW, and American Legion. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Marilyn; children Karen Alderson, Parker, CO, Kristen Ritchie, Mankato, MN, Michael (Janet) Johnson, Wewahitchka, FL, and Jeff (Lorrie) Okerlund, Blaze (Melissa) Okerlund, Hope (Paul) Matchan, and Matthew (Peggy) Okerlund, all of Sioux Falls; grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren; and a sister Betty Weeldreyer, Sioux Falls. He was preceded in death by a brother Robert and a sister Geraldine. Memorials may be directed to St. John American Lutheran Church or to the organization of the donors choice.