Patricia Deanne Winge Johnson was born in Boyd, MN to LeRoy and Vivian Winge on April 25, 1937, at home. LeRoy worked at his father’s grain elevator. Vivian worked at her father’s restaurant.
Patty was baptized at home. They were members of Trinity Lutheran in Boyd, MN.
The family moved to Lamberton MN, where LeRoy sold seed corn. Patty went to kindergarten there. The next move was to Farmington, MN. Patty attended 1st grade and started 2nd grade there when in 1944, LeRoy joined the Merchant Marines. Vivian and Patty moved to Stockholm, MN to live with Grampa Ben at the Stockholm Store. Patty finished 2 nd grade at Stockholm School and continued her education there through 6th grade.
She was confirmed at Stockholm Lutheran Church in 1941 and graduated from Cokato High School in 1955.
After graduating, Pat moved to Minneapolis and held many jobs working at Produce State Bank, American Casualty Insurance Company and International Harvester Company.
She met her husband, Robert Johnson, in 1956. They were married on July 19th , 1958, at Stockholm Lutheran Church. They started their married life in NE Minneapolis then, bought their first home in Bloomington, MN in 1960 where they lived for 10 years. During this time, they had 5 children, Kelly, Kevin, Kent, Kristen and Kraig.
In 1970, they moved to Cokato and built their own home. When all the children were in school, Pat went to work outside of the home. She worked at FabriCraft and FabriTech in Cokato and retired from Nortronics in Dassel after 25 years.
Pat loved crafting, sewing, collecting antiques, flower gardening and arranging, teaching and making wonderful ceramic things, singing in the church choir, traveling and spending time with
family and friends.
She was a Campfire Girls leader in Bloomington and a Brownie and 4H leader in Cokato. She belonged to several women’s organizations such as the Legion Auxiliary and Hobby Club and also served on many church groups including church council, WELCA President and Crow River WELCA Treasurer. She also led a women’s bible study for many years and was a member of the Altar Guild.
She spent summer vacations at the cabin at Lake Kabetogama way up north. She enjoyed winter vacations as long as it was someplace warm, preferably by water. Time spent in Florida and the Padre Islands in Texas were her favorites.
Her grandchildren were very special to her. She enjoyed providing daycare when they were babies and loved every minute of it. She was also blessed with five great grandchildren.
Pat is survived by her loving husband, Robert, children Kelly Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Kent Johnson, Kristen (Rick) Smutka and Kraig Johnson. Grandchildren Eric Johnson, Kaitlyn (Tucker) Forstie, Alicia (Jason) Just and great grandchildren Jett, Nash and Briggs Forstie and Logan and Carter Just. She is also survived by her sister Carol Fuller and Mike (Sue) Winge and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pat was preceded in death by LeRoy and Vivian Winge (parents), Sophie and Charlie Martin (in-laws), Jerry Johnson and Royce Fuller (brothers-in-law) and Mark Gabrielson (husband of niece Laura).
Funeral services for Patricia will be held on Monday, July 20th at 11:00 AM at the Stockholm Lutheran Church in Cokato, Minnesota. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Minnesota Stroke Association and/or the American Diabetes Association.
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