Ruth Johnson passed peacefully away on January 15, 2007, at age 88 years and 1 day, in Berrien Springs, MI, at the home of her son, Gary Johnson, surrounded by her family.

Funeral Services will be held 3:00 PM, Friday, January 19, 2007 at the Seventh Day Adventist with Pastor David Fish officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM on Thursday, January 18, 2007 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Ruth Lillian Nancy Farbo was born January 14, 1919, to Iver and Augusta Farbo in Caribou Township, Kittson County, Minnesota. She attended school in the area through her 9th grade after which she worked in Minneapolis, MN and Portland, OR until she returned to the Lancaster, MN area in 1949.

On June 10, 1951, Ruth married Lavern Donald Johnson at her parents home in Kittson County, MN. The couple lived near Lancaster, MN until 1955 when they bought and moved to a farm near Thief River Falls, MN. Ruth was a mother, homemaker, farmers assistant and in 1966 began working at Northwestern Hospital as a nurses aid. She retired from that position in 1979 and then spent two years working as a nurses aid with county nursing. In August, 2000, Ruth and Lavern sold their farm and moved into Thief River Falls.

Ruth loved picking wildflowers during her daily walks along the country roads as well as foraging through the woods for any kind of edible berry she could pick and bring home to can. She loved animals of all kinds, especially cats. After retiring, volunteering kept Ruth busy. Among the agencies she volunteered for were Meals on Wheels and the SDA Community Service Center for which she refurbished dolls and made doll quilts. Over the years Ruth held many positions in her church, the Thief River Falls Seventh-day Adventist Church. Ruth loved to learn so after age 50, she received her GED (Graduate Equivalency Diploma), took art classes and enrolled in a memory improvement class which she forgot to attend. Music was another love of Ruths and her favorites in the recent years were playing her harmonica and listening to Danny ODonnell. One of her last accomplishments was playing her harmonica at the wedding reception for one of her granddaughters in May, 2006. She enjoyed challenging her mind with crossword puzzles and playing Scrabble.

Ruth is survived by children, Pauline Balta, Lincoln, NE; Keith Johnson, Minneapolis, MN; Dean (Brigitte) Johnson, Fond du Lac, WI; and Gary (Rhonda) Johnson, Berrien Springs, MI; six grandchildren, Catherine Balta, Lincoln, NE; Rachel (Tony) Fox, Halifax, PA; Erik Johnson, stationed in Iraq; Kirk Johnson, Fond du Lac, WI; Cassaundra (Rob) Boothby and Brianna Johnson, Berrien Springs, MI; one brother, David (Vivian) Farbo, Thief River Falls, MN and many nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by husband, Lavern; infant daughter, Heidi Sue Johnson; parents; sisters, Judith Norum and Gertrude Jarnes; brothers, Alvin Farbo, Allen Farbo and Richard Farbo.

Family condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

ORGANIST: Darcy Nordvick
SPECIAL MUSIC: Ben and Dan Saylor
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