Donald Monroe Johnson

Donald Johnson, 93, of Bemidji, MN died Monday, July 20, 2026 at Havenwood Care Center, Bemidji.

Memorial Services will be 2:00 p.m., Sunday, July 26 2026 at Trinity Free Lutheran Church, Pony Lake. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in Trinity Free Lutheran Cemetery, Pony Lake.

Don Johnson was born January 1933 to William O. and Christie (Myhre) Johnson in Liberty Township and was raised on the family farm near Pony Lake. It was a large family of 10 children who farmed many acres on homesteaded land from 1923 and is still in the Johnson family. Don attended the one-room schoolhouse of Pony Lake.

He married Darlene J. (Petrie) in 1957 and had 2 children: son Terry (Tennessee) and daughter Jayne (New Hampshire). He has 3 grandchildren: Cassie, Adam and Alex and 3 great-grandchildren: Aspen, Ainsley and Garrett. Don was most proud of his service in the U.S. Air Force serving from 1952 until 1978. He was an aerial tailgunner on B52 aircraft. He had 199 active combat missions over Vietnam from which he was awarded numerous A.F. medals and recognitions including 7 air medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Presidential Citations.

Don is pre-deceased by his wife; sisters, Toots, Delores, Joyce and Opal and brothers, Howard, Maurice, Lowell and Russell.

He has one brother Larry (Buffalo, MN) and many, many nieces and nephews.

Don was a proud member of many local and international Veterans organizations.

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