Vernon LeRoy Johnson was born April 5, 1914, in Baxter Township, Lac Qui Parle County, MN, the son of L.L. and Emma (Moen) Johnson. He was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church of Baxter, attended school at District #1, and graduated from Dawson High School. Vernon was united in marriage with O. Norma "Dots" Belsaas on June 4, 1942, at Boyd, MN. They made their home on the farm where he was born and farmed until moving into Dawson in 1981. Vernon had been a resident of the Johnson Memorial Home since January of 2000. He enjoyed farming and being at the farm, high school basketball games, and watching MN Twins baseball and Gopher basketball games. He was a lifetime member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church of Baxter and active in various things over the years.
Vernon died on Friday, August 11, 2000, at the Johnson Memorial Home in Dawson at the age of 86.
He is survived by two children: Jacqueline Cristini and her husband, Alfred of Orlando, FL, and Jeffrey V. Johnson and his wife, Carla of rural Montevideo; three grandchildren: Bridget Cristini, Alfred Cristini, Jr., and Dustin Johnson; and three sisters: Edna Perske of Montevideo, twin, Verna Ninnemann of South St. Paul, and Melmora Jordahl of Seattle, WA.
Preceding him in death were his parents; wife, Dots; one brother, Leonard Johnson; and three sisters: Cora Graven, Charlotte Callies, and Jeanette Schuler.