Betty Lou Johnson
Betty Lou Johnson, 90, of Clearbrook, Minnesota died on Monday, March 16, 2026 at Cornerstone Nursing and Rehab in Bagley, Minnesota surrounded by her loving family.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Clearbrook, Minnesota. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be held at the Silver Creek Cemetery in Clearbrook, Minnesota.
Betty was born on September 2, 1935 at the Anderson Maternity Hospital in Shevlin, MN to Fred and Annie (Rosicka) Benesh. She was the 10th of 13 children—5 girls and 8 boys. She was baptized and confirmed at the Alida Lutheran Church.
She attended grade school at Alida Country School and graduated from Bagley High School in 1953. After graduation, Betty worked at the Con Paulson Store in Shevlin, MN. She was married to Duane Truman Johnson on December 26, 1954 in Erskine, MN. Throughout their lives together, the two were a team. In the spring of 1955, they moved to Arvilla, ND. They returned to the farm in Sinclair Township in Rural Leonard, MN in 1956. In July 1966 they sold the farm and moved to Clearbrook. In September, the administrator of the Good Samaritan Center came by their home and asked if Betty could "help out for 3 days." In 1997—31 years later—she retired. She worked as a nursing aide, activities aide, and social service designee. She enjoyed the relationships she had with staff, residents, and their families.
Betty grew up in Alida just north of Itasca State Park. The park was one of her favorite places to visit, especially to see the leaves in the fall. She enjoyed taking many road trips with Duane to visit and help out the grandchildren in South Dakota, two trips to Norway, and their numerous bus trips throughout the country.
She was a proud supporter of her community. She was a member of the Good Samaritan Center Auxiliary; the Clearbrook Leonard Senior Center; American Legion Auxiliary Unit 256 since 1956; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, WELCA, and the Priscilla Circle; the Clearwater County Fair Board; and the Red Hats of Clearbrook. In 2007, Betty was honored as Clearwater County First Lady and in 2021 was named Clearwater County Outstanding Senior Citizen.
Betty loved trying new recipes and having coffee company. She especially liked to bake many kinds of cookies, flat bread and lefsa, and Bohemian treats such as kolaches.
She had a lifelong love of flower gardening and was known for exhibiting her flowers at the Clearwater County Fair every year. She generously shared her knowledge of plants with her friends and family, and found joy creating beauty both in her flower beds and in the lives of those around her.
Most of all, Betty loved spending time with friends and family, especially with her 5 grandsons and 7 great grandchildren.
Blessed be her memory.
Betty is survived by her daughter, Susan (John) Sandland of Gonvick, MN; her son, Dwight (Becky) Johnson of Shevlin, MN; 5 grandsons, Nathan (Allison) Sandland of Letcher, SD, Travis (Jay) Sandland of Saint Paul, MN, Brian Johnson of Richmond, CA, Brady (Abby) Johnson of Huron, SD, and Brent (Mandy) Johnson, of Bismark, ND; 7 great grandchildren, Kaitlyn Sandland of Rapid City, SD, Kyle and Cole Sandland of Letcher, SD, Emma and Shawn Johnson of Huron, SD, and Emery and Rayah Johnson of Bismark, ND; her sister Shirley Wilson of Jacksonville, FL and brother David (Sherry) Benesh of Portland, OR; and sister-in-law, Wanda (Dwayne) Matz of Leonard, MN.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years Duane Truman Johnson; grandparents Vincent and Sylvia (Tordik) Benesh, and Joseph and Antonia (Swonder) Rosicka; her parents Fred and Annie (Rosicka) Benesh; and siblings, Freddie, Edward, Mary (Netland), Henry, John, Lilian (Bergquist, Sauer), Frankie, Wencil, Henrietta (Erickson), and Bennie.
Messages of condolences can be left at ceasefuneralhome.com