Rev. Eldred Johnson, age 88 of Turtle Lake, ND died Monday, March 26 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Turtle Lake.

Funeral Services: 10:30 AM Saturday, March 31, 2007;
Trinity Lutheran Church - Turtle Lake, ND;
Rev. Timothy Solberg, Officiating;
Interment: Turtle Lake Cemetery;
Visitation: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday at Goetz Funeral Home - Turtle Lake;
Saturday, 1 hour prior to time of service at the church.

Eldred Palmer Johnson was born October 10, 1918 at Nelsonville, WI the son to Elmer & Pearl (Rollefson) Johnson. He attended school in Amherst, Wisconsin and graduated from Amherst High School. Eldred continued his education at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN for several years. He then attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN graduating in 1945. Eldred was ordained as a Lutheran Pastor in November 1945 at the Nelsonville (Wisc.) Lutheran Church. He married Orpha Austad on April 3, 1948 at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. His first call as Pastor was to the Mohall, ND parish (Mohall, Sherwood, Evanger, & Prosperity Lutheran) where he served from 1945 to 1952. He then served at Calvary Lutheran Church of Minocqua/Woodruff, Wisconsin from 1952 to 1958. Eldred was called to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Westhope, ND in 1958 where he also served as chaplain and administrator of the Home for the Aged. In 1973, Eldred and his wife Orpha moved to Turtle Lake where he served as Pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church until his retirement in 1985. In retirement, he continued to stay active as a visitation pastor for many years. Eldred was involved in church and community activities in every community in which he lived and was a
long-time supporter of The Gideons He was a member of the Turtle Lake Lions Club and a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. Eldred enjoyed fishing, planting trees, and doing yard work. He especially enjoyed times of fellowship with family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Orpha Johnson of Turtle Lake, ND;
two daughters, Kris (Barry) Neese of Lexington, KY, & Dawn (Mike) Brewer of
Fargo, ND; one son, Joel (Vikki) Johnson of Turtle Lake, ND; one sister, Lorraine Packer of Amherst, WI; one brother, Roger (Karen) Johnson of Brandon, SD;
three grandsons; one step-granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.

The Johnson family would like to recognize their extended family members, the Steve & Marla Hogen family, along with many more extended family members too numerous to list.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission Program (8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, Illinois 60631) or the church or charity of individual choice.