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Margaret Johnson

Margaret Ellen Johnson was born on November 11, 1914 in St. Cloud, MN to Patrick O. Herron and his wife Hilda Sophia Teresa (Malmskog) Herron. When she was three, her parents were divorced. She lived for a time with her grandparents, Carl and Amanda Malmskog, in Badger, and later with her father in Minneapolis. When she was eight, she was returned to her mother who had married John T. Eklund, Sr. From that time on, she was known as Margaret Eklund, having been securely grafted into that family tree.
Margaret married Henfred Johnson on June 19, 1941 on the Eklund farm in Nereson Township near Badger. Henfred and Margaret were married for 58 years and had three children, Curtis, Keith, and Frances. They lived their first 53 years on their farm in Nereson before moving into Roseau in 1994.
Margaret graduated from Badger High School in 1931. She attended teachers’ training in Warroad at the age of 16 and began teaching at age 17. She taught in rural schools for about ten years prior to her marriage to Henfred. Margaret took out time to raise her family and returned to teaching in 1965. In 1970 she graduated from Bemidji State College with a Bachelor’s degree in education and a special education certification. Teaching locations included: Garland School in Nereson Township, Skime School near Wannaska, Grasslake near Greenbush, and Warroad. Margaret taught a total of 24 years; she retired in 1980 and became active in the Roseau County Retired Educators’ Association.
While teaching was Margaret’s passion, she also enjoyed homemaking, gardening, picking berries, reading, and creating community with friends, family, and church. Many charitable organizations and individuals were touched by her care and concern.
Margaret was a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Badger, MN. She enjoyed serving as a Sunday School teacher, Bible Study leader, and on several church boards. She was awarded life membership pins by the women’s groups of both the American Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in appreciation for her participation.
Margaret passed away on April 3, 2008 at the LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau at the age of 93 years, 4 months and 23 days.
She is survived by: two sons, Keith (Leanne) Johnson and Curtis (Becky) Johnson; daughter, Frances Johnson (partner, Stephanie Winter); three grandchildren, Jennifer (Eric) Robb, Roxanne Johnson, and Eric (Shannon) Johnson; three great-grandchildren, Avery and Austin Robb and Natalie Johnson; two brothers, Howard (Margaret) Eklund and Richard (Jeanette) Eklund; two sisters, Norma Karlsen and Jeanette Erickson; sister-in-law, Marie Eklund, and a wealth of cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Julia and Betty Mae; a brother, John Eklund, Jr. and her husband, Henfred.
Funeral services were held on Monday, April 7, 2008 at the Faith Lutheran Church, Badger, MN.
Interment will be at Nannestad Cemetery, Badger, MN in the spring.

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