Altha Johnson

Altha Bernette (Lee) Johnson, age 87, passed away surrounded by her family on Monday, September 23, 2019 at Sheyenne Crossing Nursing Home in West Fargo, ND. Altha was born on November 25, 1931 on her family farm near Kindred, ND to Tallef and Beatrice (Sorlie) Lee, where she was raised with her four siblings. She attended Riverside Country School, along the Sheyenne River, through 8th grade and graduated from Kindred High School in 1949, where she played clarinet and sang in the choir. After high school graduation, she moved to Fargo and received her business degree from Interstate Business College in 1950 and began working for Gate City Bank in Fargo. On June 12, 1951, she married Adolph Clayton Johnson at Kindred Lutheran Church and they built a home near her family farm, where they raised their four children. Altha had an amazing career while working in Kindred, ND. She worked at the Kindred Lumber Yard, Kindred State Bank, and was the business manager for the Kindred Public School District, until her retirement in 2000. She was honored to be the first female president of the Kindred Lutheran Church and was recently the president of the Perhus Cemetery Committee. She also loved volunteering at Bethany Homes in Fargo. In 2004, Altha moved from her farmstead into Kindred, ND. She later moved to the Cooperative Living Center in West Fargo, before going into assisted living at Riverview Place in Fargo, ND. She last resided at Sheyenne Crossing Nursing Home in West Fargo, ND. Altha loved to make people smile and will be remembered for her joke telling. She loved to spend time with her family and friends at her cabin on Pelican Lake. Spending time with the Kindred High School students and staff was very important to her, as were her longtime friends, and her ladies club. Her pastry baking and breakfast t-rings will always be remembered by all who knew and loved her. Altha’s children are Lana (Mark) Perry of Kindred, ND, Lori Elliott of Red Lodge, MT, Leah (Ron) Lundquist of Kindred, ND, Christopher Johnson (Dawn McKinnon) of Horace, ND; grandchildren, Alexis Boyer, Candace (Louis) Mattson, Suzanne (Evan) Nelson, Luke Zietlow, Britta Zietlow, Hannah Lundquist, Josie Lundquist; great grandchildren, Isaac Boyer, Courtnay Boyer, Liam Dokken, Laila Nelson, Adeline Mattson; and siblings, Eugene (Delores) Lee, Rodney Lee, Dennis Lee, and Dallas Christiansen. Altha was preceded in death by her parents, Tallef and Beatrice Lee; brother, Dennis Lee; and grandson, Luke Zietlow.