Robert "Dean" Johnson

Memorial Service for Robert "Dean" Johnson will be held on Friday, September 4, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Chaplain DeWane Dow officiating.  Private Family Inurnment will be held at a later date.

Dean Johnson, 85 years of age, of Holdrege, formerly of rural Ragan, Nebraska, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2015 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege.  Dean was born April 13, 1930 in rural Phelps County, Nebraska, northeast of Atlanta, Nebraska, the fifth of ten children born to Ernest and Lois Irene (Hopkins) Johnson.  He received his primary education from the Hawkeye Country School and later graduated from Holdrege High School, with the class of 1947.

On November 23, 1950, he was united in marriage to Erma Jeanne Murphy at the Methodist Church in Loomis, Nebraska.  The couple was blessed with three sons:  Don, Gary and Craig.  In January of 1951, he was inducted into the United States Air Force.  In 1955, he was honorably discharged and returned to Holdrege, where he was employed at William Anderson Plumbing.

In 1958, the family moved to the Johnson family farm, two miles south of Ragan.

Dean was a member of the United Methodist Church in Ragan and served on both the Ragan and Wilcox School Boards and the Huntley Elevator Board.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings and their spouses:  Melvin and Clyda Johnson, Merlyn and Dorcel Johnson, Larry Johnson, Doris and Daniel Lavene, Leone Woollen and Lois and Donn Anderson; brothers-in-law:  Alvin Harms, Bob Johnson, Norman Burman and Dick Murphy.

He leaves to celebrate his life; his wife, Jeanne Johnson of Holdrege; sons, Don Johnson and his wife, Joan of Oro Valley, Arizona, Gary Johnson and his wife, Laurie of Papillion, Nebraska and Craig Johnson and his wife, Erma of Bridgeport, Nebraska; eight grandchildren:  Stu Johnson  and his wife, Kristin, A.J. Johnson, Shari Wood and her husband, Matt, Josh Johnson, Ross Johnson, Nathan Johnson, Erma Leonard and her husband, Matt and Aaron Johnson; nine great-grandchildren; sister: Phyllis Wentling and her husband, Frank of Franklin, Nebraska; brothers: Dennis Johnson and his wife, Shirley of Franklin and Rodney Johnson of Kearney, Nebraska; sisters-in-law: Virginia Harms of Holdrege, Nebraska, Venetta Johnson of Holdrege and Marsha Burman of Holdrege; brothers-in-law, Merle Murphy and his wife, Janet of Beatrice, Nebraska,  Don Murphy and his wife, Kathleen of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Bernard Woollen and his wife, Juaneta of Holdrege; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

The family is honoring Dean's wish for cremation.  There will be no visitation or memorial book signing.

A memorial has been established in Dean's honor and kindly suggested to the United Methodist Church in Ragan.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.