Katharine "Kathy" Johnson

Katharine Rose Crary Johnson, lovingly known as Kathy, passed away at the age of 76 on June 24, 2026, in Fargo, North Dakota. Born on March 30, 1950, in Devils Lake, North Dakota, Kathy lived a life rooted in faith, family, friendship, and joy. She had a gift for making people feel seen, heard, welcomed, and loved.

Kathy was the daughter of Thomas Ulysses Crary and Patricia Ann Scheel Crary. She grew up in Devils Lake with her siblings Tom, Lisa, Chuck, Nancy, and Margy, surrounded by the close ties of family and community that would shape the rest of her life. She attended St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s Academy through eighth grade and graduated from Devils Lake Central High School. She later attended the University of North Dakota, where she pledged Kappa Alpha Theta, and went on to graduate from North Dakota State University. In 1992, while raising four children, Kathy earned her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from North Dakota State University – an accomplishment of which she was deeply proud.

Kathy married Ross Brian Johnson on January 23, 1970, in Devils Lake, North Dakota at the Crary home. They first met through the Devils Lake Aquanauts water skiing community, beginning a life together full of family, friendships, lake days, and adventure. Kathy and Ross loved being at the lake and traveling together, creating memories in places such as New Zealand, Hawaii, Monaco, Morocco, the Canary Islands, Canada, and Italy.

At the heart of Kathy’s life was her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. As a stay-at-home mom, she created a home filled with warmth, welcome, activity, and love. She was the family’s social outlet, caretaker, encourager, and the “hostess with the mostess.” She loved gathering people together, and she had a way of making every person feel like they belonged.

Kathy’s professional life reflected the same gifts she shared so naturally with her family and friends. She worked for Mann’s Teen Board in Devils Lake, JCPenney in Tacoma, Washington, and Scheels Hardware as a cashier. Later, after earning her master’s degree, she worked in private counseling and EAP counseling, supporting individuals and families with compassion and care. Kathy was a wonderful listener. She heard what people said, and she had a true and sincere interest in their lives.

Those who knew Kathy will remember her as creative, outgoing, joy-filled, and deeply relational. She loved conversation, and people loved talking with her. She was a relentless cheerleader for those she loved, always encouraging, always believing, always celebrating the people around her. Her values were clear: faith and family were her foundation. She loved children, cherished her grandchildren, and taught her family that faith is the grounding force through every season of life.

Kathy found joy in reading, gardening, golfing, traveling, and playing bridge. She loved Wood Lake and Big McDonald Lake, places where family, God’s beauty, and memories came together. Her faith was not only something she believed; it was something she lived through service, generosity, hospitality, and love.

Kathy is survived by her beloved husband, Ross Johnson; her children, Matthew Johnson and his wife, Libby, and their children Ireland, Lila, and Eden; Anne Krause and her husband, Jeff, and their children Jackson, Emma, and Will; Keith Johnson and his wife, Jessica, and their son Logan and his wife, Annie; and Adam Johnson. She is also survived by her siblings Tom Crary, Lisa Crary Brooks, Charles “Chuck” Crary, Nancy Crary Friesen, and Margaret “Margy” Crary, along with many extended family members and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Patricia Crary; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Arthur and Bertha Johnson; and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bruce and Karen Johnson.

A service celebrating Kathy’s life will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Hope Lutheran Church, North Campus 2900 Broadway North, Fargo, North Dakota. Visitation will take place before the celebration at 9:30 AM. There will be a reception following the service to fellowship. Kathy will be interred at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan, ND on Monday, July 13 at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Friends of Chimbote or Feed My Starving Children, two organizations that reflect Kathy’s heart for faith, service, and care for others.

Kathy’s legacy lives on in the family she loved the friends she welcomed, the people she counseled and the faith she passed on. She will be remembered for her listening ear, her joyful spirit, her open heart, and the way she made every conversation feel meaningful. Her life was a gift, and her love will continue to bless all who knew her.