Ronald A. Johnson

Monday, April 18, 2016 8:35 pm

Ronald A. Johnson, 76, of White Bear Lake, passed away April 11, 2016. Mass of Christian Burial was Saturday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 3878 Highland Ave., White Bear Lake. Visitation was Friday, April 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Honsa Family Funeral Home, 2460 East County Road E, White Bear Lake and one half hour before Mass at Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to New Ulm Area Catholic Schools or St. Pius Church.

Ron was raised on a dairy farm outside of Harris, Minn. He worked on the farm and was active throughout high school with FFA, while also playing football and basketball. After graduation from Rush City High School, Ron attended the University of Minnesota, St Paul campus where he majored in soil and minored in agricultural economics. During his final year before graduating in 1961, Ron met Mariette, his wife of 52 years. Ron immediately began to work for Midland Cooperatives managing a fertilizer elevator in Wausau, Wis. Eight years and three children later, Ron and Mariette moved to New Ulm, Minn., where their youngest was born and they finished raising their children. While in New Ulm, Ron completed a second degree in accounting at Mankato State University in 1987 and passed the CPA exam. In 1998, Ron and Mariette moved to White Bear Lake, Minn. as Ron joined the Land O’ Lakes internal audit team. While a big transition after 28 years in New Ulm, the move brought them closer to two of their children who lived in St Paul. In 2003, after 42 years at Midland Cooperatives/Land O’ Lakes, Ron retired from the company, and soon thereafter began to work as the internal auditor for Washington County. Throughout his life, Ron was an avid fan of all University of Minnesota teams and all of Minnesota’s professional sports teams. He road via train to Pasadena, Calif. to cheer on the Gophers during their last trip to the Rose Bowl and has particularly enjoyed his season tickets to the Twins and Gopher sports teams. Ron was also a fan of any of his children’s many sports teams, traveling often to watch them play in small towns across southern Minnesota. He and Mariette continued to travel back to New Ulm for one or two New Ulm Cathedral football games each fall.

He is survived by his wife; children: Ann, Mark, Jim and Michael (Tammi); grandchildren: Emma, Riley and Katie; sister, Barbara (Phil Stedje).

Ron’s kindness, humility, service, hard work, and willingness to help out will always be remembered by his family and friends.