Fair / 52° F
The Rev. Lavern L. Johnson, 68, of Battle Lake
Published 11:53am Tuesday, November 8, 2011Lavern Johnson, formerly of St. Charles, died Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011, in the Intensive Care Unit of St Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, after a seven-year battle with cancer.
Lavern was born in Tracy on Oct. 23, 1943, to Burch and Donna (Galbraith) Johnson. He graduated from Minneota High School in 1961, and graduated from Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa 1965, with a bachlors of arts degree in religion and history.
Three years later he graduated from Evangelical Theological Seminary, Naperville, Ill., with a masters of divinity with honors. Lavern met his life’s soul-mate, Sharon, at Westmar College. June 11, 1966; they were married in the United Methodist Church, Markesan, Wis.
Lavern faithfully served United Methodist Churches in Minnesota for 40 years of active ministry. He felt privileged to serve the following parishes: Odessa/Correll, Clarissa/Eagle Bend/Clotho, Breckenridge/Foxhome, Hutchinson Bethlehem, Buffalo, Eyota/Elgin, Elgin/Plainview in which two congregations merged together and built a new church called Peace Church (located between Elgin and Plainview) under his leadership.
Lavern was very gifted in preaching and public speaking weaving humor, Scripture, and life application together to inspire, uplift, and challenge God’s people.
July 1, 2003, Lavern retired to be a co-caregiver for his daughter, Leah, who was battling cancer. Approximately a year after retirement, Lavern was diagnosed with Mantle Cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Lavern loved being with his family, grandchildren, and friends, life in the ministry, as well as, fishing, relaxing at the lake or in Florida, wood-working, and traveling. He could also fix or create just about anything, building.
Lavern loved life, lived life to the fullest, and with a cup half full — in spite of the most adverse circumstances, which included losing a 3-year-old daughter to cancer, almost losing his oldest son in a three-wheeler accident and his youngest daughter battling cancer, to launch his most difficult battle of all.
Lavern was preceded in death by a daughter, Michelle, his parents; and one brother, Lowell.
Survivors include his wife, the Rev. Sharon Johnson of Battle Lake; four children, Michael (Michelle) Johnson of Faribault, Kristen (Dan Smith) Johnson of St. Charles, Leah (Matt) Arnold of Burnsville, and Justin Johnson of Bonnita Springs, Fla.; five grandchildren, Shawn, Nathan, Chase, Kasey, Nicholas; four brothers, Loren, Lanny, Lester and Locky; one sister, Lenora; and a brother-in-law David (Betty) Fox.
In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the United Methodist Church in St. Charles or Fergus Falls; United Methodist Conference Seminary Educational Fund, American Cancer Society or National Marfan Foundation.
Visitation: Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m., with a time of remembrance at 7:30 p.m., at Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service, St. Charles, and Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, Fergus Falls
Service: 2 p.m. Saturday, at Grace United Methodist Church, Fergus Falls,
Officiant: Bishop Sally Dyck
Condolences may be sent online at www.hofffuneral.com
One day last August, I was heading back home from Glendalough park in Battle Lake and discovered a fledgling Grackle trapped in a garden fence. After struggling to free the frightened bird out of the wire mesh and eventually succeeding, I pedaled up the street only to see someone I knew emerging from his house, using a walker to locomote with great difficulty, tubes hanging out of his arms. Amazed, I turned into the driveway and complimented my friend, “Lavern, you are 99% spirit.” For my friend had defied the mortality odds given to him by statistically short sighted doctors ruminating over the prognosis of his Mantle Cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma he had suffered through for so very long. Lavern thanked me and then proceeded to tell me that he had been thinking about home fellowship and wanted to form a group with this in mind. I then could not help but share my enthusiasm with him for I had been praying for an opportunity for home fellowship in the park only just a short time ago! He then took hold of my hand and we both prayed together.
That was the last time I saw Reverend Lavern Johnson, who passed away on Sunday. He was a true Christian in my estimation: warm, open, self-effacing, tolerant and he had a great sense of humor as well. Lavern will be dearly missed by all that he touched with his grace and compassion. He certainly touched me on that day and the bird that got to fly away as well.
-Jaye Beldo