Dean Francis Johnson

Dr. Dean Francis Johnson has entered his Heavenly Home. He died January 22, 2019 at Hillcrest Rehabilitation Center at the age of 87.

His Celebration of Life Service will be held 11:00 am, Saturday January 26 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, North Mankato. Visitation will be held Friday at Mankato Mortuary, 1001 N. Riverfront Drive, 5-7:00 pm and Saturday one hour prior to service.

Dean was born in Bertha, MN April 18, 1931. He graduated from Mankato High School in 1948 and from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1955.

While pursuing graduate studies at Iowa State University in Ames, IA, he was inducted into the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant and was stationed at the Chaumont Air Base in Chaumont, France.  There, he served as Chief Food and Water Inspector, and cared for military sentry dogs.

In Chaumont on June 14,1957 during his two year service in France, he married Marilyn Ruth Lewis of Faribault, MN.  In addition to military duties, Dean sang in the Protestant Base Church Choir, for which Marilyn was the organist.  When off duty, they traveled extensively by train or their Volkswagen “Bug” throughout Europe and the Scandinavian countries.

After leaving France, Dean entered the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, graduating in 1962.  Along with two small sons, Dean and Marilyn moved to Mankato, where he began a private Dental Practice, lasting 44 years.

Dean fulfilled 20 years of Military Service through the U.S. Army Reserve and the U.S. Army National Guard.  Some of the many highlights were serving as a dentist in Bolivia, Germany, Walter Reed Hospital, and being honored as the Chaplain for the Mankato State University ROTC program. He served as the first ever Chief Dental Officer of the Minnesota National Guard.  Dean retired from the Army as a Full Colonel. He is a Color Guard and lifetime member of the American Legion #518. 

During the years of raising their family, Dean was a member of the North Mankato City Council as well as fulfilling several other community, church and professional commitments.

Dean and Marilyn, having been blessed with 61 years of marriage, are grateful for their five children:  Bryan (Ann), North Mankato; Lee (Jennifer) LaGrange, GA; Paula (James) Krause, Eden Prairie; Amy (Eric) Zornow, Algonquin, IL; Sarah (Jeff) Boots, Apple Valley. They have 19 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Dean has enjoyed traveling; music; reading (especially about cars and nutrition), gardening; and most importantly, family events and gatherings.

He is preceded in death by his parents Eddie O. Johnson and Inga S. Johnson; parents-in law Donald H. Lewis and Lydia P. Lewis.

He is survived by his beloved wife Marilyn; brother Jon Johnson (Kathy) Hastings; sister Kathleen Dohmeier of Richfield; sister-in law Janet H. Lewis of Bloomington; several nephews, nieces, and friends.

The Johnson families will be forever grateful for the loving, compassionate, skillful care Dean was given by the Hillcrest Staff. Many times throughout life, Dean shared with others the Good News that “JESUS LOVES YOU!”

The family will appreciate memorials to be given to Hillcrest Rehabilitation Center or Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.