Helen Johnson

Helen Gumborg Johnson, 99, Bismarck, ND, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on June 2, 2020.

Due to COVID-19, a private family service will be held on Saturday June 13, 2020. Live streaming of the service will be available on our website beginning at 11:00 am.

Helen was born in Wilton, ND on December 6, 1920, to Erick and Ottilia Pearson, immigrants from Varmland, Sweden. She grew up on a farm during the Great Depression, working alongside her father, whom she loved spending time with. It was here that Helen developed her strong work ethic, learned from an early age to make do with what she had and had a genuine appreciation for all that was done for her. She attended a one room country school and walked a mile and a half there and back each day. In the winter, she rode in a horse-drawn sled using heated rocks to stay warm. Helen realized, early on, the importance of education and graduated from Wilton High School. She attended Minot Teachers College and taught in a one room country school for two years.

On August 1, 1942, she married her high school sweetheart, Marvin Johnson, in the chapel at the USO, San Diego, CA. At the end of World War II, Marvin used the GI bill to earn his pharmacy degree at NDSU in Fargo, ND. Helen was thrifty and Marvin joked that he “went to school eating Helen’s home-canned beans,” which were stored under the bed in their cramped trailer. The couple moved to Wilton, ND in 1949, bought a drug store and opened Johnson Rexall Drug where they served the community together for 38 years.

Helen’s strong faith was of the utmost importance to her and influenced how she lived her daily life. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and attended the Ladies Circle Bible Study over her many years. Helen was also an active member of the Wilton community, especially if it involved her children. She was a member of the PTA, Homemakers, Band Mothers, and was a Girl Scout leader. She was an ambitious woman with a belief in “choosing the right attitude.” Her love, kindness and genuine desire to help others was evident in how she lived her life – it touched everyone around her.

Helen’s creativity and love of learning new skills shined through in everything she did. She taught herself how to sew, knit and crochet and became an excellent seamstress. She created beautiful and fashionable clothes for her four girls, including prom and wedding dresses, coats and swimsuits. She was also an excellent baker – her pies always a request from Marv and her monster cookies were a favorite among the grandchildren. She also enjoyed gardening and reading, but her favorite moments were spending time with the beautiful family she and Marvin created throughout their 77 years together. She loved gathering and hosting everyone for the holidays – creating memories forever cherished.

Helen is survived by her five children: Tana (Roger) Snell, Minnetonka, MN; LuWan (Carl) Duma, Hanford, CA; Conna (Larry) Cook, Bismarck, ND; Jeanie (Charles) Steckler, Fargo, ND; and John (Sharon) Johnson, St. Joseph, MN; 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one sister, Mary Pearson, Bismarck, ND.

Memorials can be sent to the First Presbyterian Church of Wilton or the charity of your choice. The family thanks the staff at Sanford Hospital, Edgewood Vista and St. Gabriel’s Community of Bismarck.

To view Helen's recorded service, click here.