Victor E. Johnson, 86, of Platteville, formerly of rural Livingston, died on Thursday, April 19, 2012, at his home.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at the Melby-Bendorf Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville. Rev. Greg Marsh will officiate. Burial will be at Rock Church Cemetery, where military rites will be accorded. Friends may call from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 23, 2012 at the Melby-Bendorf Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville, or from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday. Memorials may be made to Southwest Health Center Hospice. Online condolences may be made at www.melbyfh.com.
Victor was born on November 12, 1925 in Meade County, South Dakota, the son of Fridolph and Clara (Wassberg) Johnson. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth L. Johnson on June 12, 1954 in Livingston, Wisconsin. Victor was enlisted in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946. He graduated from South Dakota State University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture. He grew up in Western South Dakota where he worked as a telephone lineman in Rapid City from 1946-1948. After his marriage to Elizabeth, they farmed for 21 years in the Livingston area (1954-1975). He then taught at Southwest Technical Institute in Fennimore for 12 years (1975-1987).
He was a member of the Livingston Free Methodist Church, Gideons International, and the American Legion. He loved being outdoors, hunting, guns, horseback riding, and working the land.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; two daughters, Beverly Conner of Cottage Grove, WI; and Elaine Johnson (Suzan Crochet) of Overland Park, KS; one son, Jerry (Debby) Johnson of Normal, IL; six grandchildren, James Conner; Matt and Pete Lepley; Heather, Eric, and Hannah Johnson; one brother, David (Barbara) Johnson of Oakland, CA; two sisters, Edith (Charles) Culbreth of Atascadero, CA; Winifred (Bill) Wilson of Denton, TX. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Eleanor, Marie, and Ruth; and brother, Clarence.
Elizabeth L. Johnson, 90, of Platteville, Wisconsin, formerly of rural Livingston, Wisconsin, died on Thursday, December 15, 2016, at her home at Sienna Crest Assisted Living Center. Funeral services will be 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory in Platteville. Rev. Greg Marsh will officiate. Burial will be at Rock Church Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 P.M. until the time of the service on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory in Platteville. Memorials may be made to St. Croix Hospice or Livingston Free Methodist Church. Online condolences may be made at www.melbyfh.com.
Elizabeth Louella Johnson was born on February 8, 1926, in Livingston, Wisconsin, the only child of Thomas and Pearl Johnson. After graduating from high school, Elizabeth enrolled at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois, where she attended for a year. She returned home to help run the family business when her father became ill, and later graduated from the Platteville Normal School (now University of Wisconsin-Platteville) with a degree in education. She was united in marriage to Victor E. Johnson on June 12, 1954, in Livingston, Wisconsin. Elizabeth taught home economics for many years, first at Cobb High School, and later at Iowa-Grant High School. She taught canning classes for the County Extension Office, was a long-time member of the Livingston Home Economics Club, and an active member of the Livingston Free Methodist Church. Elizabeth was a busy mother and farm wife, taking pride in growing and preserving much of the family’s food as well as a large variety of flowers. When her children were grown and she had retired from teaching, she opened Oak Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast, welcoming guests from near and far into their farm home for the next decade. Elizabeth and Victor farmed near Livingston for nearly 50 years before retiring in 2008 when they moved to Pioneer Ridge Senior Apartments in Platteville. She was a long-time participant in Senior Water Exercise classes at UW-P, and eventually convinced Victor to join the class. Her many interests included gardening, cooking, sewing, being outdoors, bird watching, traveling, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her son, Jerry (Debby) Johnson of Normal, IL; her daughter, Elaine Johnson (Suzan Crochet) of Overland Park, KS; six grandchildren: James Conner; Matt and Pete Lepley; Heather, Eric and Hannah Johnson. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband, Victor, and her daughter, Beverly.