Brian L. Johnson

Brian’s service will be livestreamed below starting at 2:00 PM Friday, August 1, 2025.

Brian Lee Johnson, age 60, of Kindred, North Dakota, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, July 27th, 2025.

Brian was born in Fargo, North Dakota on October 20th, 1964, to Roger and Barbara (Lee) Johnson. He grew up at the family farm near Kindred with his parents and two younger sisters, Dawn and Julie. In his younger years, Brian was active in sports, outdoor activities, working with his dad, spending time at Lake Lizzie and was always busy with family events. Brian graduated from Kindred High School in 1982 and went on to study Industrial Engineering at North Dakota State University, where he was an active member of the TKE Fraternity. His commitment to lifelong learning led him to earn an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in 2001. Brian remained involved with the Industrial Engineering program at NDSU and was a member of the IME advisory board for many years.

On June 14th, 1986, Brian married the love of his life, Becky Nicklay. Brian had met Becky through family trips to Lake Lizzie as kids. Brian and Becky exemplified true love and were happily married for 39 years. In 1989, Brian and Becky welcomed their daughter Kara, followed by their son Seth in 1990. Brian was a proud dad to Kara and Seth and enjoyed attending their school activities, going to auctions with Kara, hunting with Seth and spending time together as a family. Brian and Becky were blessed with 3 grandchildren – Graysen, Bria, and Asher. Brian, a.k.a. “Pa”, thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and giving them tractor & ranger rides. Brian was an exceptional son, husband, father, grandfather and role model to all his family.

After graduating college, Brian began his career at Woodstuff Manufacturing, in Arizona. True to his North Dakota roots, he soon returned to the Midwest, settling in Warroad, MN in 1988. There, he began what would become a lifelong career with Marvin Windows. During his career at Marvin, Brian created lifelong friendships that extended beyond the office. Brian led with humility and his deep commitment to the people he worked with shaped the careers of many across the organization.

When Marvin expanded operations to the Fargo area, Brian returned home to Kindred to help launch Integrity Windows. It was in Kindred that he and Becky built their family home and established the Johnson property—a haven for wildlife and a place where Brian could indulge his love of the outdoors. Brian continued this love in 2020 when he and Becky began spending time at their hunting cabin, near New York Mills, Minnesota. Here, Brian and Becky created many new memories and lifelong relationships. Brian could always be found spending countless hours planting food plots, creating wildlife habitats, preparing for hunting seasons, and enjoying time with family and friends. Brian was truly at peace when in nature!

He is survived by his wife, Becky; daughter, Kara (Cooper) Anderson; son, Seth (Michelle) Johnson; grandchildren, Graysen and Bria Anderson, and Asher Johnson; parents, Roger and Barbara Johnson; sisters, Dawn (Mike) Johnson and Julie Hornbacher; nieces, Mandi Groninger, Chaney and Aubri Hornbacher; nephew, Jacob Nicklay; brother-in-law Tim (LaDawn) Nicklay; and sister-in-law, Kim (Randy) Kraft.

Brian was preceded in death by his grandparents, Erick and Lorraine Lee, and Irvin and Mildred Johnson; his father-in-law, Fred Nicklay; and his brother-in-law, Steve Nicklay.

A visitation will be held on Friday, August 1st, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM, followed by a memorial service at 2:00 PM at Kindred Lutheran Church.

Brian will be remembered for his deep love of family, his dedication to his work, and his passion for the outdoors. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the memories he helped create. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

In tribute to Brian’s deep appreciation for nature, all monetary gifts will be donated to the Pheasants Forever Southeast Chapter to support ongoing wildlife conservation initiatives.