Roger Dean Johnson, 85, of Albert Lea, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, surrounded by his family at St. John’s – Woodlands.

Roger was born Jan. 29, 1934, in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, on the family farm, son of Raymond and Helen (Ellis) Johnson. He was a graduate of Blooming Prairie High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force for three years in Lake Charles, Louisiana. On Sept. 5, 1959, he married Helen Waalkens at Oakland Midway Lutheran Church in Oakland, Minnesota. To this union, two boys were born, Jim and Al. Throughout the years, Roger worked several different jobs. He finished his career driving trucks for Viracon in Owatonna, Minnesota. He retired at the age of 62 and enjoyed traveling with Helen, family and friends.

Roger enjoyed camping, snowmobiling, golfing, bowling, watching his sons and grandson’s athletics, and spending his winters in Arizona. He loved spending time with family and friends and always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He shared a special bond with his grandson, Luke, and loved to take him camping and spend time with him whenever he could. Roger was eager to share stories everywhere he went and had a great way of making conversation; he never met someone he didn’t like. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Roger is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen; son, James (Jill) Johnson and wife, Jill, Albert Lea; son, Alan Johnson and wife, Erin Bravatto, Prior Lake, Minnesota; grandson, Luke Johnson; brothers, Darel Johnson and wife, Betty, Owatonna, and Larry Johnson and wife, Shirley, Owatonna; sisters, Carol Ingvaldson and husband, Donnie, Owatonna, Linda Kath, Waseca, Minnesota, and Sue Schmidt and friend, Larry, Waseca; sisters-in-law, Henrietta Lysne and husband, Maurice, Hayward, Minnesota, Min Westland and husband, Paul, Albert Lea, Kath Heffron and husband, Mike, Maple Lake, Minnesota, and Dawn Horst and husband, Tim, Howard Lake, Minnesota; brother-in-law, Lou Larson and wife, Stephanie, Hayward; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Helen Johnson; mother and father in-law, John and Lydia Waalkens; brother, Richard Johnson and wife, Jonna; brother in-law, Albert Kath; brother in-law, Sheldon Schmidt; and sister in-law, Sal Larson.

He would want us to give special mention to his caretakers at the Woodlands. They provided the love and care he needed to make his life comfortable in his last year and a half.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home in Albert Lea with the Rev. Don Malinsky officiating. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and will continue for one hour before the service on Tuesday at the funeral home. If you would like to leave a memorial, please consider donating to Parkinson’s Foundation at parkinson.org. Roger courageously battled this disease for over 15 years.