Richard J. Johnson

The funeral service is live-streamed at: https://youtube.com/live/afnn7CpKcNk?feature=share

 Richard "Dick” Junior Johnson, age 91, of New London, passed away Thursday evening, January 30, at CentraCare – Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar.

    Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. followed by his funeral service at 11 a.m. on Monday, February 10, at the Crossroads Community United Methodist Church in Spicer. Interment will be at Lake Andrew Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Green Lake Funeral Home in Spicer. www.petersonbrothers.com

    Richard was born November 2, 1933, in Spicer, Minnesota, the son of Gunvald “Shorty” and Jennie (Woren) Johnson. He grew up on a farm and graduated from Willmar High School in 1952. After graduation, Dick farmed with his father for 2 years before enlisting in the United States Navy in 1954. On July 21, 1956, in Willmar, Dick was married to Roberta R. Bowers and to this union they were blessed with two sons, Jeff and Steven. For the next 17 years, they lived in Kingsville, TX., Millington, TN., Alameda, CA., Corpus Christi, TX., and Lexington Park, MD., while working with flight simulators and anti-submarine warfare trainers as an electronics mechanic in various aviation training units. In 1973, Dick retired from the Navy and moved his family back to Minnesota where he was employed with the 3M Company in Hutchinson as a Systems Control Specialist for more than 17 years. In 1990, he retired from 3M and returned with his wife to live in the Spicer community by Elkhorn Lake.

    Dick was a life member of the Hutchinson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 906, Hutchinson Elks Lodge, and Spicer American Legion Post 545 where he served in its Honor Guard for many years and participated in the 2016 Freedom Honor Flight to Washington D.C. He was also a charter member of Crossroads Community United Methodist Church and assisted in the building process. He loved and served his lord and savior and enjoyed the many friendships he made through his church. Dick will be remembered for his kind, caring, and compassionate personality. He was always friendly, outgoing, and loved by many who knew him. He kept busy with gardening, yard work, cards, puzzles, camping, fishing, birding, reading, and watching sports.

    He is survived by his two sons, Jeff (and Sue) Johnson of St. Cloud and Steven (and Kathy) Johnson of Prior Lake; three grandchildren, Melissa Hammer, Kyle (and Alyssa) Johnson, and Michael Johnson; four great grandchildren, Carter and Olivia Hammer and Tate and Tyler Johnson; his sister and brother-in-law, Darlene and Burton Lind of Spicer, and sister-in-law, Barbara Nigh of Kent, WA.; besides other relatives and many friends.

    He was preceded in death by his parents and wife of over 67 years, Roberta, on June 28, 2024.