Don H. “Buck” Johnson, 85, died peacefully at his home on Rainy Lake on Sunday, May 6, 2012.
Buck was born in Hibbing, Minn., on Sept. 30, 1926.
He moved to Camp Koochiching with his family on Rainy Lake in 1929.
He graduated from Falls High School Class of 1945.
Buck served in Korea for 18 months in the United States Army.
He completed two years at Hibbing Junior College, and received his forestry degree from Oregon State University.
Buck married Dale Ann Minter on June 22, 1949, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
He worked as a manager of Union Oil’s executive retreat on Curtice Island for 40 years. Buck also worked winters at Mando and Boise Cascade as a scaler in the wood yard.
He served with the U.S. Coast Guard as a lamp lighter on Rainy Lake from 1968 to 1998.
Buck was a great story-teller, he loved fishing, and building models of historic boats and buildings for the Koochiching Historical Society.
He especially enjoyed breakfasts at Grandma’s Pantry.
He was president of both the Koochiching Historical Society and the Border Lakes Association, and a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Buck loved spending time with his family and friends on Norway Island.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dale Ann Johnson; son, Terry Johnson; parents, Don and Layna Johnson; and sister, Sally Jernberg.
Buck is survived by his sons, Tim (Mary Kay) Johnson of Kasson, Minn., and Jayme (Maggie) Johnson of Little Falls, Minn.; daughters, Lisa Flanders and Jill (Saeid) Sakhitab, all of Rochester, Minn.; 10 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; brother, Byrne (Carole) Johnson of Ranier, Minn.; and sister, Karen (John) Gustafson of Madison, Wis.
Memorial services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday May 11, at Ranier Community Building, Ranier, Minn.
Memorials in memory of Buck are preferred to the Koochiching County Historical Society.
Condolences may be left at www.greenlarsen.com.
Green-Larsen Mortuary Inc., International Falls, is in charge of arrangements.
