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Elvin Duane Johnson, 83, Page, ND died on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020 at Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, ND from complications as a result of an accident.
Elvin Johnson was born on Jan. 15, 1937 in Hope, ND to Iver and Bernice (Lindemann) Johnson. Elvin was youngest of twelve children. He attended country school in and around Page and helped his dad farm. During the winters he lived in Fargo and worked at Reed Cleaner’s and set pins at a bowling alley at night. In 1955, he took a job and later became the foreman at Hartley Stock Farm in Page where he managed the sheep and livestock. Elvin helped win many ribbons showing sheep at livestock shows in Colorado and Chicago.
Elvin and Shirley Bistodeau were married on April 11, 1956 and lived at the Hartley Stock Farm until 1959 when he went into farming for himself. In 1963, Elvin started his own business, Johnson Well Service digging water wells. In 1975, he took a job with Jorgenson Brothers Trucking as an over the road truck driver. In 1981, Elvin went back to farming and took a job with the Don Garnas Farm. In later years, he farmed for Marvin Mechtel and Keith Burley prior to retirement. Elvin and Shirley were blessed with a big family of seven children and lived in the Page area for over 64 years.
Elvin enjoyed many activities that he could do with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren such as camping, fishing, hunting, gardening, golf cart cruising, attending sporting events and watching western tv shows especially “Gun Smoke”. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren and they will always remember him for his relentless teasing. In their later years, Elvin and Shirley enjoyed traveling to Texas, California, Hawaii and Mexico during the winter.
Elvin is survived by his wife, Shirley; children, Jeffery (Dorren), Ivy Savageau, Sandy (Gene) Smith, Barry (Sherry), Sherry (Todd) Steffen, daughter in law, Kim Johnson; seventeen grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren; brothers, Frank of Las Vegas, NV and Glenn (Carmen) of West Fargo; a sister, Sylvia Chinn, Philadelphia, PA; sister-in-law, Jean Johnson of Fargo; and many nieces and nephews.
Elvin was preceded in death by his children; Rodney and Randy, parents; Iver and Bernice brothers, Erving, Arnold, Marvin, Wesley and Norman and sisters; Gertrude Rye, Viola Ose and Genevieve Nelson.
Visitation: Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 from 5 to 7 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM at West Funeral Home, West Fargo, ND.
Funeral: Tuesday at 10:30 AM at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Page with visitation one hour prior.
Burial: Page Cemetery
Due to the Pandemic the family requests those present be mindful of others by social distancing and wearing masks.
West Funeral Home & Life Tribute Center
westfuneralhome.com
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