Obituary of Jean Ann Johnson

Johnson, Jean Ann age 90 of Edina and Lutsen passed away September 23rd. She was preceded in death by parents Arthur and Hedvig Oppedahl and brother Charles Oppedahl. She is survived by husband of 64 years Robert; daughter Rebecca (Steve) Knudson; sons Randall (Supatra); Bradley (Peggy); and Charles; grandchildren Marija (Michael) Crosson, Kristina, Peter, Thomas, Emily, Laura, Simon, Sydney and Anuchit. She is also survived by brother-in-law Bill (Jeanne) Johnson, nieces Cyndy (Tom) Bodenlos; Ruth Oppedahl and sons Alex and Nick, Louise (Russ) Carmel and daughters Rebecca and Julia and nephews Carl (Erika) Oppedahl and Stuart Johnson. Jean graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1949 as a Home Economics major and taught in Akron, Iowa and Des Moines, Iowa. She became interested in church work and moved to Minneapolis to join the staff at Messiah Lutheran Church, where she met and married Robert. In 1976 Messiah's pastor and Gustavus classmate Rev. Peter Erickson left to join the Minnesota Synod staff of Bishop Herbert Chilstrom and he asked Jean to be his secretary. She spent the next eight years serving Bishop Chilstrom, followed by seven years serving on the new staff of Bishop David Olson. Jean's passion was choral music beginning with four years in the Gustavus choir followed by many years in the Messiah Lutheran choir and many years in the choir at Lutsen Lutheran church. Lutsen became the summer home for the family for over sixty years. After Bob and Jean retired, they became winter residents of Dunedin, Florida where they spent ten enjoyable winters, walking every day on the beach together. They continued to spend summers at the cabin in Lutsen where they also walked the Cascade Beach Road together every day. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Stephen Lutheran Church 8400 France Av, Bloomington, MN. Monday October 9th at 11 am preceded by visitation at 10 and lunch following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Stephen Lutheran Church or Messiah Lutheran Church- Minneapolis, in Jean's memory. Special Thanks to the staff at Walker Care Suites and Allina Hospice.