Mary Johnson

Mary Margaret Johnson (nee Ehrlich), Lake City, Minn., passed away on Monday, November 3, at Elysian Fields in Redwing, MN, after complications from pancreatic cancer.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 9th, 1947, to Eldon and Bernadette Ehrlich, Mary spent her childhood in Cedar Rapids, IA, before moving to Rochester, Minn., to purse her passion of becoming a nurse. While attending St. Mary's School of Nursing, she met her husband, Bob when they were both enrolled in a public speaking class together at Rochester Community College. After graduating from St. Mary's, a 40-year career as an RN began for Mary, and her specialty in emergency room medicine offered the best fit for her calm presence and compassionate heart, which touched countless lives.

Mary was deeply committed to service. She served as a medic in the Civil Air Patrol for 17 years, achieving the rank of major, and alongside Bob, attended several Oshkosh airshows where she cooked meals and provided medical services for CAP cadets.

A gifted musician, Mary shared her love of music generously. She led church music groups, and her piano playing brought beauty and comfort to many church services throughout the years at First Lutheran Church of Lake City, MN, where she and Bob were active members and volunteers.

Mary had an adventurous spirit. She and Bob cherished traveling together--especially cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean--and they created wonderful memories exploring Ireland, Norway, England, France, and Spain.

Mary is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Bob; brother and sister-in-law, Joe Ehrlich (Jan Buikema) Arden Hills; sister-in-law Sarah Baker, Bemidji; nieces, Jennie (Andy) Bergman, North Oaks, Joanna (Christian) Alvarez, Barcelona ES, Ruth (Jeremiah) Baker, Turtle River; nephew Andrew Baker, Bemidji; daughters Anne (Jeff Stein) Johnson of Rochester, Beth (Scott) Sims of Eden Prairie, Kristin Lien, Rochester; grandchildren Allie (Justin)Brown, Ashlie Hanson, Nolin Lien, Ethan and Maren Sims, Josh and Brady Stein; and great-grandchildren Malcolm and Cooper Brown. She was preceded in death by her parents and her son-in-law, Christopher Lien.

Special thanks to the loving, caring staff at Elysian Fields of Redwing and St. Croix Hospice.

A funeral service to honor Mary's legacy will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, November 13th, at First Lutheran Church in Lake City, Minn., 100 Peace Ridge, Lake City, MN, 55041. A luncheon will follow the service. A private interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Lake City, MN.

If you wish to honor Mary's legacy of kindness, service, faith, and music, consider donations that will live on through the many lives she touched in her faith community, First Lutheran Church of Lake City.