Mildred (Millie) May Johnson, 90

Mildred (Millie) May Johnson, 90, of Northfield died Saturday, June 23, 2012, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis after a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 11:00 am at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Burial will take place in the Northfield Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 26th from 4 to 8 pm at the Bierman Funeral Home and on Wednesday one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Millie was born May 22, 1922, in Belle Creek, Minnesota, to parents Floyd and Amanda (Sommerfield) Bowers. She grew up in Faribault, graduating from Faribault Senior High School in 1940. Millie worked at Holman Field in St. Paul as an airplane riveter in 1942, and in 1943 she moved to Northfield and was employed at the NSP office and Surge Electric. On June 11, 1949, Millie and Percy Johnson were united in marriage at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Millie was a homemaker from 1949 to 1965 and, together with Percy, owned and operated Johnson TV and Appliance in Northfield from 1965 to 1982.

Millie was an active member of the Northfield community all her life. She was a past VFW Auxiliary president, Sunday school teacher, Girl Scout leader and TCPS board member. Among Millie’s many activities were aquasizes, card club, chimes choir, St. John’s circle, Castle Rockers, bowling league and a love of photography. Her stories are featured at the “Greatest Generation” exhibit now showing at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul. Most of all, she was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Millie was preceded in death by her husband, Percy; parents; three brothers, Ed, Harold and David; three sisters, Agnes, Myrtle and Evelyn; and special friend Don Kimber. She is survived by son David Johnson of Mankato, daughters Dawn (Larry) Raadt of Stewartville, Julie (John) Nelson of Southlake, Texas, and Jean Churilla of St. Paul; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Helen (Charles) Hill of Rochester; and many nephews and nieces.

Arrangements are with Bierman Funeral Home of Northfield. Suggested memorials are St. John’s Lutheran Church, Trondhjem Community Preservation Society and Northfield Area Veterans Memorial Park.