ERNEST N. JOHNSON

Former ND House Speaker Ernest N. Johnson Ernest N Johnson a long time farmer and resident of Dazey, ND, passed away April 4, 2015. Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 18 at First Lutheran Church, Barnstable, MA A separate Memorial service and interment will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, Hannaford, ND at 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 9, exactly 100 years from his birth. Ernest was born on May 9, 1915, to Olaf and Emma (Haugen) Johnson near Hannaford prior to the family’s relocation to Washington state, where Olaf suddenly passed away. Ernest and his mother, Emma, then returned to Hannaford, where Emma married Carl O. Johnson. He graduated from Dazey High School, where he met his wife Della (Nelsen) Johnson and they married on Sept 18, 1938. They were very active in Faith Lutheran Church of Hannaford. Ernest served on a number of community boards and in numerous church functions. He was very active near retirement on a small committee to refurbish Faith Lutheran's cemetery. Ernest was elected to the State House of Representatives in 1959 and served six terms culminating as Speaker of the House in 1969, where he focused on the Education and Agricultural Committees. They retired to Mesa, AZ, and have resided on Cape Cod, MA, for the last nine years. Ernest is survived by his wife, Della; son Wayne (Diane) of Goodyear, AZ; daughter Mavis Grorud (Al) of S. Dennis, MA; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; half-brothers Arthur (Florence), Roland (Delores) and half-sister Esther Neumen (Ron). He was preceded in death by his parents and half-brothers Willard (2nd WW) and Richard (Phyllis). The family requests that all memorials be directed to Faith Lutheran Church, the Faith Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund or a charity of your choice.