Richard Nels Johnson

Live streaming for Dick's service is:     https://youtube.com/live/b_tkXwVemWY?feature=share

Richard Nels Johnson, age 94, was called to his Lord and Savior on March 27, 2025 at Havenwood Care Center, Bemidji, MN.

He was born on September 23, 1930 in Minneapolis, MN, the son of Raymond and Nora Johnson.

He attended schools in NE Minneapolis where in high school he lettered in basketball and golf. In 1949 he enlisted in the US Air Force, serving his country nearly 7 years attaining the rank of Tech Sargeant in the US Air Force Military Police. While in the Service he married his neighborhood sweetheart, Mary Ellen Nelson, on June 30, 1952, a wonderful marriage that lasted for 62 years. Upon honorable discharge from the Air Force, he attended Hamline University, then transferred to the University of MN, graduating in July 1959 with a BA degree in Crime and Delinquency.

He was hired as a parole officer with the MN State Board of Parole. In 1964 he transferred to the Bureau of Indian Affairs where he was employed in Law Enforcement as a Criminal Investigator. He served two tours of duty, one on Red Lake Reservation in MN and the second at the Choctaw Reservation in Philadelphia, MS. This 2nd tour coincided with a perilous time of civil unrest in US history with the killing of 3 black civil rights workers in that same town. “Dick” known as the “tall lawman in cowboy boots who smoked cigars” was able to keep his family safe from under the watchful eye of the Ku Klux Klan who despised “Yankee outsiders”. Dick still felt it was a privilege to have the opportunity to work with the various tribal leaders and people that he met while working there. In 1976 he transferred to the Bureau of Land Management as Special Agent in charge of Law Enforcement programs in the states of Oregon and Washington.

During his tenure in the Law Enforcement field he graduated from the Florida Police Academy, 12 week Military Police School, MN-BCA, and 99th session of the FBI Academy. He also received a degree in Police Administration and was selected to work with a group to develop courses for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia.

He retired in March 1985 returning to Bemidji and building a home on a local lake. He and Mary Ellen played golf almost daily in the summer and hiked the wooded trails together. He loved woodworking in his shop making gifts for others. Being a true outdoorsman, he looked forward to fishing and hunting.

He was a member of First Lutheran Church, the American Legion, and a Boy Scout leader.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Mary Ellen, a brother Eldon and a daughter, Katherine. He is survived by a son, Gary (Sharon) Johnson, a daughter, Marjorie (John) Smith and dear neighbor friends whom he considered family.

Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 24, 2025 at First Lutheran Church, Bemidji. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

www.OlsonSchwartzFuneralHome.com

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