Thomas C. Johnson, 80

Thomas C. Johnson, 80 of Owatonna, Minnesota, formerly of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Friday, November 5, 2021 at the Owatonna Hospital.

Thomas Carl was born September 27, 1941 in Austin, Minnesota, the son of Wilbert and Dale Johnson Baldus. Tom attended school at AARC, now Cedar Valley, which his mother started and where his mom and his aunt Geneva Johnson taught school. While living at home in Austin, the framers of all the new homes in Sterling Addition would have him counter sink nails and then take him for coffee and pie. At 16, he moved to Faribault then Rochester and finally Owatonna. He worked at Cedar Valley workshop where he worked on boxes. Whenever he was asked how many boxes he did, the answer was always the same, two; and when asked how old he was he would answer 14. He knew lots of people in Owatonna, he was a people person.

Tom was a gifted athlete and in 1968, he competed in the first Special Olympics where he earned several medals including a gold medal. He loved to bowl and was a fun bowler.

He was preceded in death by his Mom, Dale Johnson Baldus, his Dad, Wilbert Baldus; Sister and Brother-in-law, Sharon Johnson Peterson (Jan), Step-brother, Charles Baldus, and Step-sister, Anna Marie Baldus Sanders.

Tom is survived by his Sister and Brother-in-law, Virginia Johnson Stensrud (Dick) and Half-sister, Kimber Lee Baldus; Nieces, Desiree Littlefield, Karen Milan and Nephews, Brian Peterson, MikKael Stensrud.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, November 15th at Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna with the Reverend Todd Buegler officiating. There will be visitation for 15 minutes before the service and there will be a luncheon immediately following the service. Interment will be in Rose Creek Enterprise Cemetery in Austin. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.