Esther Linnea (Nelson) Johnson died December 24th, 2006 at the Home of the Aged Unit of the Bishop Noa Home in Escanaba at the age of 98. She had previously moved into a private apartment at Bishop Noa in October, 2005, having lived independently at 1130 North 18th Street in Escanaba until that time.
Born November 29, 1908 in Bark River, Michigan, 8th child of Swedish immigrants, John and Matilda (Gustafson) Nelson, Esther’s childhood was spent on the Nelson family farm where she learned the value of hard labor and common sense. When Esther was 18 months old, her father died of cancer, leaving his widow and children to run the farm. At the age of seven, she was given the job of driving a horse and wagon to the “Bark River Creamery” to deliver cream, a distance of three miles. She was fluent in the Swedish language, and discovered her life-long love of reading at an early age. Esther attended school in the south Bark River area until the 8th grade. Shortly after, Esther moved to Escanaba, and in 1925, enrolled in the Cloverland Business College in Escanaba, graduating from there in 1926.
Her first employment was at “Hemett Grocery” in Escanaba as a bookkeeper. She subsequently moved into her own apartment, purchased and drove a Ford Coupe with a Rumble seat, one of the first young women to do so at that time. Esther was later employed at the Sawyer-Stoll Timber Company in Escanaba as a stenographer from 1926 to 1933.
She was wed to C. Elmer Johnson, son of Mr. & Mrs. Charles A. Johnson, also Swedish immigrants, on December 24, 1931, at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Signa and Elmer Carlson of Bark River. She wore a gown of brown silk crepe and carried sweetheart roses. Elmer was employed at the “Escanaba Dairy”. The couple made their home at 416 Ludington Street.
In 1933, they moved back to south Bark River area to raise a large family and ran a dairy farm, raised chickens for an egg route, and also to supplement their income with the sale of forest products until their retirement in 1972, when they moved back to Escanaba.
Elmer passed away of heart failure in Esther’s arms on August 13th, 1975. Esther was also preceded in death by her parents, two sisters; Signa Carlson and Alice VanEnkevort, and by five brothers; Art, Ted, Edgar, and Hilmer.
Esther Johnson’s survivors include:
3 Sons- Arlen (June Larson) Johnson of Fairchild, WI; Robert (Judy Boyce) Johnson of Addison, IL; Keith (Cynthia Holochwost) Johnson of Bark River
3 Daughters-Cary Elizabeth Boulet (Richard) of Sonoma, CA; Jacqueline Johnson of Eau Claire, WI; Maxine Holochwost (Timothy) of Bark River
13 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren
Esther was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church of Escanaba. The family of Esther L. Johnson will receive friends on Friday at the Skradski-Boyce Funeral Home in Escanaba from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Services celebrating her life will follow on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at the Skradski-Boyce Funeral Home with Rev. Patrick Radue officiating. Luncheon will follow services at the Calvary Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Burial will be in the Gardens of Rest Cemetery; Wells. The family respectfully requests memorials be directed to the Calvary Baptist Church and envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
