Karen L Johnson

Karen Lea (Bine) Johnson, 72, Bismarck, passed away on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

A memorial service for Karen will take place at 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Bismarck. Cremation has taken place. A service livestream will be available on this link: Karen Johnson

A visitation will be held an hour prior to service.

On July 11, 1952, Alfred and Donna (Engstrom) Bine, welcomed Karen Lea into the world, just minutes before her identical twin sister, Katherine, was born. She was born and raised in Minneapolis and graduated from South High School. From a young age, she demonstrated a remarkable passion for life, participating in gymnastics, volleyball, tennis, badminton, cheerleading, choir, and countless school activities. Her commitment to serve others began early volunteering as a hospital candy striper and later working in the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Health Center caring for tiny premature babies.

At the youthful age of 15, Karen met Michael Allen Johnson. A few days later, they went to the movies together, the first time either one of them dated someone, and their uninterrupted lifelong commitment to each other began. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1973, at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, embarking on a loving journey that would span more than 51 years. The couple welcomed three children—Michael Paul, Timothy Allen, and Rebecca Mae—and relocated to North Dakota in 1978, where they built a beautiful family life.

Throughout her life, Karen remained dedicated to her family, embracing various roles to nurture their growth. She worked in the home for eight years as a licensed daycare provider, and then 11 years as a special needs aide in the Bismarck school system. Her love for gardening flourished as she earned her Master Gardener title and subsequently contributed her talents at S&B Landscaping, Hoskins-Meyer Floral and Plant Perfect.

Karen was incessantly energetic, always willing to “get involved.” She found immense joy in supporting her children's activities - school, music, and sports and later cheered on her grandchildren in their pursuits. Initially reluctant about her sons' participation in hockey, she quickly became an enthusiastic youth hockey fan for them and later all five grandchildren. She served as a PTO committee chair for three years and served in leadership positions with both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for 13 years including serving as member and chair of the Boy Scout Troop 11 Committee for three years. This dedication resulted in both boys achieving Eagle Scout Awards. She received a Boy Scout Certificate of Merit for Meritorious Action providing assistance at a vehicle/pedestrian accident near the school.

Karen enjoyed participating in many groups and activities including the Red Hat Society, Homemakers, the “Tea Party Patrol,” Tupperware parties and more. Mary Bakko, Sue Howie and Jan Gilchrist were especially close friends she enjoyed spending time and sharing a diet Coke with and who were especially supportive as she battled her health issues.

Perpetually active, Karen was never without a project of some sort. She loved cooking, baking and canning, and excelled in preparing the wide variety of wild game and fish harvested by the family. Sewing, knitting, arts and crafts were a life-long passion. Beginning as a teen, she made many of her own clothes, including many dresses, more than four formal gowns, her wedding dress and winter coats as well as clothes for Mike and their children. Mittens, scarves, hats, slippers, dolls, baby clothes, music box baby pillows, seasonal decorations and much more were all produced in an incredible variety. She could not sit in front of the TV without some craft or chore, including managing the household finances, to keep her hands busy. Housework was attended to later, frequently starting after 10pm, when the rest of the family was in bed.

As a loving and devoted grandmother, she took great pleasure in reading stories, gardening, cooking, and baking, attending school functions making fond memories with each grandchild. Notably, despite her Swedish heritage, she embraced her husband's family’s 100-year Norwegian tradition of lefse making and their Christmas-time fried eggs and bacon rolled into lefse breakfasts.

She loved visiting and spending time with both of her sisters. As expected, was especially close to her “more than identical” twin, Kathy. They enjoyed doing everything together. Karen loved to travel, by road trips and especially by air. The destination was not always important, but if it was to the ocean and the beach, she was in heaven. She especially enjoyed summer vacations and holiday trips with the family and spending time at the family’s lakeside cabin in Minnesota.

Karen loved House of Prayer Lutheran Church and was actively involved there where she served on the church council, instructed confirmation, was a choir member, served as a song leader and frequently sang solos during services.

In 2010, Karen developed Stage 4 Melanoma and doctors indicated she had less than 2 years of life remaining. A resilient spirit, Karen bravely battled the deadly disease, including surgeries, radiation, brutal IL2 treatments and finally, enrollment in two clinical trials that tested new treatments. The last experimental treatment, delivered at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, destroyed the cancer and saved her life. She emerged victorious and disease free for fifteen years against the daunting odds. Following her triumph, she faced the challenge of Alzheimer’s the remainder of her life. Michael remained at her side throughout these difficult journeys.

She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Michael; children Michael and Kimberly (Bren) Johnson, Bismarck, Timothy Johnson and Sydney Hutchison, Blackfoot, ID and Rebecca and Ryan Greer, Cleveland, ND; grandchildren, Sawyer Johnson, Aiden, Ally and Emelia “Emmy” Greer and step grandson, Brandyn Schmidt; sisters, Katherine Cassada, Virginia Beach, VA and Margo Zierman, Sebring, FL; mother-in-law, Phyllis Johnson, Bismarck; aunt, Gayle Slette and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; father-in-law, Maurice Johnson; brother-in-law, William Cassada and sister-in-law, Nancy Jo Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to House of Prayer Lutheran Church.