Bob Johnson

Robert "Bob" Raymond Johnson was born on November 7, 1939, to Raymond and Mildred Johnson. Raised on his family's farm, he attended the District 30 country school and graduated from Milaca High School in 1957. On July 11, 2026, Bob passed away quietly with his family by his bedside. His early years were marked by service and education; he served in the Minnesota National Guard from 1956 to 1960, went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University in 1961, and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 1965. Bob shared his passion for learning by teaching high school math and chemistry for several Minnesota school districts—including Williams, Elk River, the St. Cloud State Lab School, and Ogilvie—as well as algebra at Cambridge Community College.

In 1964, Bob married Ann (Krotzer) Johnson. Together, they purchased his parents' farm in 1967, where they raised their four children. Bob operated a registered Holstein dairy farm there until 1990. In 2014, they sold the homestead and relocated to Milaca. Bob loved time with his family, cherishing every moment spent with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was a familiar face in the community, rarely missing Tuesday afternoon coffee at his sister Betty’s house with her neighbors, or his regular weekday coffee gatherings with friends at Hardee’s. Proud of his Swedish heritage, he also had a lifelong love for lutefisk dinners and all things Swedish.

Music and sports brought immense joy to Bob’s life. He never missed his kids’ and grandkids’ concerts or their sporting events, and he loved golfing with his children. Bob often took his family to concerts and theater productions in St Cloud and Minneapolis. At home, he was content reading, solving daily crosswords and word finds, and watching Saturday night reruns of the Lawrence Welk Show.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Mildred Johnson; his brother Ed Johnson; his sister Marion Katke; his brothers-in-law Ray Edgren, Ron Katke and Jerry Lindstrom; and his nephews Josh Krotzer and Randy Katke, along with Randy’s wife, Brandi.

He is survived by his wife Ann; his daughter Sonja and her husband Mark; his son Ernest and his wife Jill; his son Karl and his wife Christy; and his daughter Sarah. He is also survived by his six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; his sisters, Betty Edgren and Delores Lindstrom; and a wide circle of beloved relatives and friends.

Service & Memorial Information

A funeral service celebrating Bob's life will be held at the Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca, MN, on Friday, July 17, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the memorial service at 11:00 a.m.

One of Bob’s final wishes was a simple request: “Do something good for the community.”

In honor of that wish, memorials are preferred to Superior Hospice, the Milaca Area Food Pantry, and/or the Milaca American Legion Post 178 Auxiliary.