Margaret Johnson, 91

"Growing up in Big Timber and living 30 years in Whitefish should qualify me as a 'Montanan,' so upon my husband, Jerry's, retirement we decided to come back to Montana after seven years in Reno, Nevada. I attended St. Olaf College graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. I have taught school, substituting in later years, raised five children, and generally have been the CEO for the Johnson corporation. I have had experience in sales, church offices, co-chairman for the Flathead Festival, and am active in volunteer positions, currently at the Gallatin Community Clinic. My reasons for accepting the nomination for church council are: I feel a desire to do my part and am looking forward to experiencing the changes and challenges for us in the building process over the next few years, being well aware of the responsibility of that position.

"We have five children, Derek, Paul, Craig, Graver with spouse Deborah, Paula, Mary Jane, and Amy. Our only daughter Ann Ducken and husband John. We lost our granddaughter Katie at age two and have eight living grandchildren, three great granddaughters and one great grandson. For our 60th Anniversary in 2015 I wrote an essay, "A Pearl of Great Value" from Matthew 13: 45-46."

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." Sunday, July 19 we celebrate 60 years of marriage. Somewhere along the line Margaret came across the phrase, "Divorce never, Murder maybe." On rare occasion she has used it with good reason. One thing we agree on for sure is that our marriage has never been dull. Martin Luther in Table Talk, 1566 said it well, "There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than in a good marriage.

Margaret has lived longest in Montana, although I like to bug her by telling people I am the native. She was born in Aberdeen, SD and I in Glendive. When she was two and I three, we lived within 25 miles of each other near Aberdeen. Shortly they moved to Big Timber and we to another South Dakota town and then to Morris, Minnesota. We didn't meet until we were students at St. Olaf. I'd known who she was, but we didn't date until February of my senior year and she a junior. She'd broken up with a classmate of mine. She was sitting in the library alone and I asked her down for coffee. We started dating regularly and by April were dating exclusively. We were in a Marriage and Family course, me in the front row and she in the back. Naturally I had a lot of comment, but as our relationship progressed, I said less and less. She had everything I wanted in a wife.

In April her former boyfriend told her I was just looking for a wife. Margaret suggested we should cool things and go our separate ways. We went to a private room, and I did the smartest thing I ever have, then and since. In dulcet tones (highly unlike me) I asked if she was having fun. She said she was, so I told her we could go along the way we were, enjoy each other's company, and in June we'd go our separate ways, and she need never see me again. That seemed reasonable so she agreed and as Paul Harvey used to say, "You know the rest of the story." In early May she hitch-hiked home with me, 200 miles. I told her it usually took four hours. It took about eight. We had one ride with a "Pa Kettle" type farmer in a late twenties' car with chickens in the back seat. Margaret chose to ride with the chickens. A highway patrolmen gave us a ride the last 20 miles. She also met my outspoken extended family-a real experience for a shy girl. She always said I was a good salesman.

We married on a Tuesday evening July 19, 1955, in Big Timber. By the way, Margaret means "Pearl? and there is no doubt she is one of high value. The price of being together now 69 years was a small one to pay. All it required was for me to give the sales pitch of my life, a genuine con job."

In Lieu of flowers please send memorials to ELCA Hunger through Christ the King Lutheran Church. 

A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Bozeman.

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com