Kathleen Johnson

Kathleen Delores Johnson, 96, of Northwood, ND, died on December 22, 2020, at Northwood Deaconess Health Center.  A private family service will be held on Saturday, December 26, at Bilden-Askew funeral home in Northwood.

Kate Knudson was born June 15, 1924.  She attended the Lind District School, where she was presented with a perfect attendance pin on her graduation.  Upon the start of WWII, Kate temporarily left North Dakota to serve as a “Government Girl” in Washington DC supporting our country by helping process forms and requisitions.  Kate had the opportunity to return to DC in 2007, where she thoroughly enjoyed seeing the street on which she lived and all of the local sites.  Kate began working at Northwood State Bank in 1943, where she gained lifetime friends.  Upon her retirement, she was the longest tenured bank employee.   

Kate married Ernie Johnson on January 20, 1945 in Grand Forks, ND, and they raised their five children in Northwood.

Kate enjoyed countless hours with her family, entertaining them at Golden Lake and many of them in Hawaii where she and Ernie wintered for years.  Along with time at the lake and in Hawaii with family and friends, Kate loved a great manicure and having her nails painted.  Ernie and Kate were faithful members of the NELC congregation.

Kate is survived by her daughters Marilyn (Skip) Gronhovd, Louise Ostlie, Karen (Lyle) Ness, Renee (Rick) Johnson; son Rick (Karen) Johnson; grandchildren: Rondi (Tanner) Eggenberger, Holly Gronhovd, Scott (Stephanie) Ostlie, Lori (Chad) Verke, Stacy (Erick) Brekke, Nancy (Zach) Noreen, Todd (Adonica) Good, Annie (Rob) Nagengast, Peter Ness, Rachel Ness, Heidi (Jason) Gader, and Christine (Shawn) Gaffney; and 21 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie; her parents Kernell and Christine (Beck) Knudson; brother, Gayle (Florence) Knudson; and son-in-law Darryl Ostlie.