June 2, 2015

Frances Johnson

Frances Bertha Link Johnson, 99, of Bozeman, Mont., formerly of Cartwright, N.D., died on Sunday evening, May 17, 2015, at Highgate Senior Living, in Bozeman, Mont.
Frances Bertha Link Johnson was born on October 18, 1915, to John and Anna Link, at the family homestead in Randolph Township near Charbonneau, N.D., the youngest of six children. She attended elementary school at Rowe School, a one-room grades one through eight rural school. She graduated from the Alexander High School in 1933, completing high school in 3½ years. Weekends were often spent playing piano and guitar with brother Art for barn dances at neighbors in the area, softball, and swimming.
After completing her education at Jamestown (ND) School of Business, she worked for several years as the personal secretary for Gladys Talbott Edwards at the North Dakota Farmers Union.
On March 22, 1941, she married Forrest R. Johnson, of Cartwright, N.D., and moved to their farm home five miles north of Cartwright in Sioux Township where they lived until 1999. They had four children: Betty, Arlen, Dorothy, and Janet. They had been married for almost 62 years when Forrest died in Dec. 2002.
Frances’s life was one of a busy farmwife, with many meals prepared and transported to the work site so that the men could continue working in the fields. She was a longtime participant in, and active supporter of, the Cartwright community as a member of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church Women, Cartwright Historical Society, Sunshine Homemaker’s Club, Farmers’ Union, North Dakota NPL, and North Dakota Democrats.
Her commitment to preserving history was evidenced by the compiling and editing of the Cartwright History Book for the Centennial. Family genealogy was important to Frances and resulted in her assembling and editing both the Johnson and Link Family history books and planning family reunions. She also served as the leader of the Cartwright Girls’ 4-H Club for many years, especially enjoying teaching sewing to the young women.
She always loved sewing, crocheting, and quilting. One of her proudest accomplishments was creating an original quilt featuring the Johnson men neckties, which was exhibited at the McKenzie County Fair where she won a blue ribbon, along with receiving honors for it at various other exhibitions. She also crocheted afghans or made quilts for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as keepsakes, as well as many other afghans, quilts, and baby quilts given to friends. Another of her unique talents was the baking and decorating of wedding cakes for local brides and anniversary cakes for special celebrations in the community.
Frances had a variety of other interests, including reading, dancing (especially square dancing), playing cards, and politics. She always had a large garden and beautified the home and yard by raising flowers, developing flower beds, and planting trees on the farmstead. She liked traveling all over the US and Canada, as well as Europe visiting family and friends. But she was always happy to get back home to North Dakota. She was a strong advocate of the family farm and was devoted to protecting and promoting the rural small farm way of life.
After retirement, she lived at Golden Estates in Williston, N.D., The Lodge in Sidney, Mont., and most recently, at The Highgate Senior Living in Bozeman, Mont.
She is survived by her children, Betty (Renwood) Erickson of Parkland, Fla.; Arlen (Pat) Johnson of Kansas City, Mo.; Dorothy (Greg Parsons) Johnson of Wheat Ridge, Colo.; and Janet (Stan) Anderson of Cartwright, N.D. and Bozeman, Mont.; six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Grace Johnson Link of Bismarck, N.D.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Theresa, Lizzie, Annie, and Mary; brother Art; and husband, Forrest.
Funeral services for Frances Bertha Johnson were held on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 11 a.m. CDT at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Cartwright. Burial will be in the Yellowstone Point Cemetery in Sioux Township following the service under the direction of Fulkerson Funeral Home of Sidney. Visitation was from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at Fulkerson Funeral Home and one hour before services at the church in Cartwright.  Remembrances, condolences, and pictures may be shared with the family at www.fulkersons.com. Memorials are preferred to St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church or the Cartwright Historical Society.
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER