Gary A Johnson

Gary Arthur Johnson, 62, of Grand Forks, passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2014 at his home surrounded by his family and under the care of Altru Hospice following a courageous 14 month battle with lung cancer. He was born October 11, 1951, to Clarence and Delores Johnson in Minot, ND. Gary was raised on the family farm near Ryder N.D and graduated from Parshall High School in 1969. He served in the U.S. Army as a radio operator from 1971-1973 and then served in the engineering division of the North Dakota National Guard. After his honorable discharge, he attended Lake Region Junior College in Devils Lake where he obtained his Associate degree in civil engineering technology. On September 1, 1974, he married Debra (Deb) Ellen Skaar at the North Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Leeds ND. They lived in Devils Lake where he worked for the City Engineering Department and in McClusky where he worked on the Garrison Diversion Project. In 1978, they moved to Grand Forks where he worked for 35 years at Webster, Foster, and Weston consulting engineers finishing his career as Senior Engineering Tech. He was most happy working, playing with his grandchildren, and visiting the Badlands of North Dakota, where his love of horses, especially the wild bands in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park captured his heart. Gary was a member of the North Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors, Trinity Free Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, and the York American Legion. Gary is survived by his wife, Deb and 2 children: Blaine (Julitta) Johnson of Bismarck, ND and Kari Johnson of Avondale, AZ; 5 grandchildren (Shantel, Isabelle, Gabriel, Isaiah, and Keira of Bismarck,) 2 brothers; Rick (Jane) Johnson of Dayton, NV, and Russ ( Dorene) Johnson of Salem, OR; 9 nieces and nephews and extended family ( Kristy Skaar and Jeff Lipsky, Tucson AZ, Amy and Jeff Shaffner, Santa Maria, CA, Neil and Tracy Skaar, Rugby, ND); special cousins (David and Mary Schram and Jeanine Dyer Puyallup WA.) and his best 4 legged friends (Buddy and Molly). Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Delores and mother and father-in-law (Gordon and Peggy Skaar, York ND). In Lieu of Flowers, memorials are preferred to the ND Veterans Cemetery, Trinity Free Lutheran Church, or a charity of your choice A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM Friday, March 21, 2014 at Trinity Free Lutheran Church of Grand Forks. Visitation for Gary will be Thursday from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with a 7:00 PM Prayer Service in Amundson Funeral Home of Grand Forks. Visitation will continue for the hour before the service in the church. Burial will be at the ND Veteran's Cemetery in Mandan.