Gordon O. Johnson, 89, died on Tuesday, November 12, 2002 at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, November 16, 2002 at the Johnson-Green Funeral Home in Thief River Falls, MN with Reverend Tim Bauer officiating. Burial will be in St. Bernards Cemetery in Thief River Falls. Military Honors by American Legion Ecklund-Holmstrom Post #117 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2793 of Thief River Falls.

Visitation will from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, November 15, 2002 at the Johnson-Green Funeral Home in Thief River Falls.

Gordon Oliver Carlyle Johnson was born on January 3, 1913 in Thief River Falls, MN, the son of Carl and Olive (Olson) Johnson. He was baptized into the Lutheran Faith and confirmed at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls on November 21, 1926. He attended school in Thief River Falls, graduating from Lincoln High School. Following High School Gordon attended and graduated from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on March 17, 1938 with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree.

On February 12, 1939 Gordon was united in marriage to Claire Mary Guth in Staples, MN by Reverend N. Donnay.

He entered in the United States Army on November 6, 1942 and was Honorably Discharge on November 3, 1945. While in the Army he served with Signal Corps technical services unit in Alaska Communications system overseas. He encoded and decoded war department messages and transmitted and received radio and telegraph communication. He was cleared by military intelligence and FBI to work on secret and highly confidential material.

The couple moved to Thief River Falls where they purchased the Soo Caf with Gordons brother Ray. In 1950 they started the Western Auto Store and also purchased the Sportsmans Store from Fred Wengler and sold the Soo Caf. Claire and Gordon bought Hub Clothing, than moved the Western Auto Store and Hub Clothing Store to the Elks Building and Claire started toys and crafts in the basement. In 1967 they sold the store to Irv Wilson. The family moved to Duluth, MN where he worked for the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The couple returned to Thief River Falls in retirement.

Claire died on July 13, 2000 and Gordon moved to Minneapolis to be near his son, Bob.

Gordon is survived by one son, Robert Johnson and his special friend Randi Moeller and her children, Keith and April Moeller; one grandson, Joshua Johnson, St. Cloud, MN; one brother, Ray Johnson and special friend, Hazel of Thief River Falls, MN and his children, Gary (Linda) Johnson of Bemidji, MN, Dale (Debbie) Johnson of Brooklyn Park, MN and Stanley (Becky) Johnson of Coon Rapids, MN.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Claire; and his parents.