Ethel Vivian Johnson, 85, died Sunday, November 20, 2005, with her family by her side.\r\nEthel was born August 9, 1920, near Buxton, ND, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants Tobias and Julia Thompson. Leaving the farm for Eau Claire at age eighteen, she joined several siblings in Eau Claire and later married James H. Johnson on May 10, 1942, in Strum, WI. The next day the newlyweds departed for Moore Field in McAllen, TX, where James served in the Army Air Force. When her husband's service took them to Liberal, KS, Ethel enjoyed her work as a proofreader for the Liberal Times. It was there that she gave birth to a son, James D. Johnson. Ethel was a devoted and compassionate wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker. She was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, and enjoyed camping, gardening, and cooking, especially lefse, lutefisk, and other Norwegian favorites for her family. Ethel is survived by her loving husband James, her son Jim and daughter in-law Rita of Eau Claire, her grandson, Christian of Minneapolis, MN, and granddaughter, Kjessia (Ben Karol), of St. Paul, MN, and her sister Adeline Rauk of San Diego, CA.\r\nEthel was preceded in death by her parents; six brothers, Clarence, Albert, Willard, Tilman, Rudolph, and Nanian; three sisters Selma Larson, Lilah Nelson, and Mabel Gruhlke; four half-brothers, Henry Gilbert, Arthur, and Tracy; four half-sisters, Hilda Thompson, Othelia Aamodt, Magda Rasmussen, and Anna Thompson.\r\nFuneral services will be at 1:30 pm on Saturday, November 26, 2005, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church with Pastor Roger Churness officiating. Burial will follow in Rest Haven Cemetery in the Town of Washington. Family and friends may call from 4 to 7 pm Friday at Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home or one hour prior to services Saturday at the church. \r\nIn lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Ethel's name to the American Cancer Society at 2427 N. Hillcrest Pkwy, Altoona, WI 54720 or Our Savior's Lutheran Church at 1310 Main St., Eau Claire, WI 54701.\r\n

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