Elaine’s Obituary Elaine J. Johnson, 87, Minot, ND, passed away Sunday, May 5, 2019, in a Minot hospital. Elaine Joyce Kopecky was born April 4, 1932, the daughter of Albert and Emma (Pesek) Kopecky, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Later that year, they moved to a farm near Tabor, MN, where she attended a county grade school.
She graduated from the Northwest School of Agriculture in Crookston (a branch of University of Minnesota) in 1950. She was elected Homecoming Queen her senior year. In April of 1950, she went to work for Implement Dealers Mutual Insurance Co. in Grand Forks and met her future husband.
She worked there until 1954. Elaine married Charles “Chuck” Johnson August 8, 1952, in Grand Forks, ND. They made their home in Grand Forks until May of 1957, when they moved to Minot.
Charles had a real estate office (Central Investment) and insurance office. She worked as his secretary from 1966 to 1972. She then went to work for Minot Federal Savings & Loan (later known as Midwest Federal Savings Bank) and worked in several departments for 19 years ending her employment as the executive secretary.
She had been a member of the Professional Secretaries, Int. and National Association of Bank Women. She was a Brownie Leader and was a Secretary of the Edison PTA while her children were in school.
She and Charles had three children, Gail (Mike) Merck and Susan (Lonnie) Heth, both of Minot, and Alan Johnson, Sugar Land, TX. They had four grandchildren, Jason (Ricole) Merck, Stefanie (Tyler) Neether, Megan (Kenton) Kossan, and Andrew (Mikalyn) Heth; all of Minot. Great-Grandchildren, Jaycee and Lainey Neether, Bridger Kossan, and Alexa and Alysa Rice.
The family spent many summers at their cabin on MacKay Island at Lake Metigoshe. She was an excellent cook and baker. She had her favorites but was always trying new recipes.
She enjoyed gardening, her flowers, bird watching, crossword puzzles, embroidering dish towels for her children and grandchildren and watching her grandchildren at sporting events. She started her personal computer training at the age of 75 and enjoyed sending and receiving emails. Elaine enjoyed the friendships she made while taking Aerobics at the YMCA, playing Bridge and living at The View.
She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Minot. Charles passed away August 27, 2004. She was also preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Donald.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren; sisters, Adeline Qualheim and Alice Lizakowski, both of Grand Forks, ND; brother, Philip Kopecky, Grand Forks, ND; sister-in-law, Nita Johnson; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral: Saturday, May 11, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, Minot. Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, ND.
Visitation: Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot. Memorials: are preferred to the Magic City Discovery Center in Minot or to First Lutheran Church in Minot.
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