Donna May Johnson

Donna May Johnson, born on May 28, 1932, passed away on March 11, 2026, at the age of 93. The daughter of William “Bill” and Ragna (Olson) Knutson, Donna grew up on a farmstead south of Almont and later at the Reichel farm, in a time before rural electricity or indoor plumbing. She carried fond memories of kerosene lamps, a wood-and-coal “pot-belly” stove, chilly winter mornings dressing near its warmth, and simple baths her mother called a “katte vaske.” The family moved into Almont in 1946 when her father opened a grocery store. She attended the local school, carrying her lunch in a syrup pail and enjoying games at recess, while at home she often accompanied her father on hunting and trapping outings. Radio programs, books, and free Saturday night street movies provided simple pleasures during her childhood. She was seven when her brother Donald was born, and later welcomed her brother Gary.

After graduating from Almont High School in 1949, Donna attended Dickinson State Teachers College for two years and began teaching in Washburn. Her dream of becoming an educator, inspired by her mother and aunts, was briefly set aside when she married Joel Johnson on December 19, 1954. The couple settled into Joel’s childhood home north of Almont, where Donna helped with ranch work while raising their three children, Grant, Bryan, and Kay. She later returned to her studies, completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Education at Mary College in Bismarck in 1973. She then taught at New Salem Elementary for 26 rewarding years.

Donna was deeply devoted to her community, serving as organist at Sims Scandinavian Lutheran Church for 50 years. She and Joel played key roles in securing a “Save America’s Treasures” grant to restore the historic 1884 Sims church parsonage, an effort that brought them statewide recognition in 2008 when they hosted First Lady Laura Bush and North Dakota First Lady Mikey Hoeven. In her later years, Donna remained an avid reader, especially of history, documentaries, and Holocaust survivor stories, and was a familiar face to the Mandan library bookmobile staff.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Donna is survived by her husband of 71 years, Joel Johnson of Almont; her children, Grant (Sheri) of Almont, Bryan of Louisville, Colorado, and Kay (Dave) Moody of Dickinson; grandchildren Andrew (Katarina), Nate (Ellie), Ali (Addison), Aanen (Gabrielle), and Claire; seven great-grandchildren, Asher, Ailo, Kai, Jeremiah, Aanen-Joel “AJ”, Ove, and Obadiah “Obie”; and her brother Gary Knutson of Bismarck. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Donald, and her sister-in-law Marti Knutson.