Marie Doris Johnson

Marie Johnson, Turtle Lake, North Dakota, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2023, at Edgewood Vista in Grand Forks, ND. She celebrated her 93rd birthday on May 19th and requested palliative care only as her health declined. 

Marie lived on the family farm with her husband Leonard Johnson and their children near Turtle Lake for 60 years. In 2015, four years after her husband died, she moved to live with her daughter, Kirsten and husband Norman Tafelmeyer on their ranch near Cooperstown, ND. In 2017, she moved to an assisted living home in Grand Forks, where she could be close to her “three girls”, Terri, Grand Forks, ND, Sandy, Adams, ND and Kirsten.

In the long evening of her life, she adapted and thrived. She kept up with her family through Facebook, made new friends, played cards, rode her exercise bike and beat COVID. 

Marie Doris Matthiesen was born in the Mayville, ND hospital in 1930, to Herbert and Zelda Matthiesen. She grew up on the family farm near Hope, ND. She had a thirst for learning and dreamed about being a journalist. Her grandfather was a newspaper publisher in Portland, ND. High school was optional at the time, there was no bus transportation and since even the four miles to town could be daunting in the winter, she lived at a hotel in Hope and worked there for her room and board while attending school. She graduated as a valedictorian in 1947.  

In 1952, she married Leonard Johnson, after meeting him when his small plane was forced to land on the Matthiesen farm during bad weather. The hopes of journalism were behind her, she farmed with Leonard, and they raised eleven children and a whole lot of registered Black Angus. Marie was often on the tractor, or stacking bales behind it, when the children were young. 

In addition to caring for a house full of small kids, she frequently made them clothes for special occasions, learned the art of stained glass, learned new musical instruments and taught piano lessons. After her 11th child, she studied journalism. She went on to write for many newspapers, especially the McLean County Journal (Turtle Lake newspaper). 

Marie was active in her church and community, frequently playing piano for church services, participating as an active member of the Red Trail Homemakers Club and often serving as an election judge or clerk when it was time to vote.

Marie loved gardening, flowers and plants of all kinds. Over her years on the farm, she transformed the bleak landscape remembered by her older children into a venue fit for a wedding and enjoyed by many of the neighbors.

Marie is survived by her younger brother, Charles (Matsue) Matthiesen, Hinkley, CA; her children Tim (Barbara) Johnson, Palmer, AK, twins, David (Carol) Johnson, Loudon, TN and Dawne Brooks (Dale), Juniata, NE, L. Roger (Anita) Johnson, Longmont, CO, Richard (Svetlana) Johnson, Denton, TX, Terri Johnson, East Grand Forks, MN, Sandy (Grant) Lindell, Adams, ND, Kirsten (Norman) Tafelmeyer, Cooperstown, ND, Eric (Lona) Johnson, Turtle Lake, ND, and Karen (Joe Cullum) Johnson, Mount Calm, TX; 34 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Johnson, her parents, Herbert and Zelda Matthiesen, her sisters, Marilyn Jess and Mae Covill and one son, Robert Keith Johnson.

She rests now in the arms of our Lord and Savior. Remember her with joy.

A memorial service is being planned at the United Methodist Church in Turtle Lake, ND.