Stanley "Mike" Johnson

Celebration of Life Service for Stanley "Mike" Johnson will be held at the First Baptist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Friday, April 25, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Darren Stroh, officiating. Interment will be held in the Moses Hill Cemetery in rural Phelps County.

Stanley Michael Johnson, 53 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege, following a courageous battle with cancer. Mike was born April 19, 1961 at Holdrege, the second of three children born to Waynard and Donna (Kreutzer) Johnson. He received his primary education through the eighth grade from the R-7 District School near Holdrege and then graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1979.

At a young age, Mike was focused on a career in farming, which became a lifelong passion in his life. He enjoyed working side-by-side on the farm south of Holdrege with his brother, Clettis. Mike was also known as Spike to a lot of his family and friends.

On April 18, 1986 he was united in marriage to Lisa Ekberg and the couple made their home on the farm south of Holdrege. They celebrated their 28 ^th Wedding Anniversary this past Friday. Besides farming, Mike also had an interest in flying and was currently taking lessons from Arlen Olson for his private pilot's license. Mike also loved attending stock car races, going to air shows, and loved spending time with his family, especially hanging with his nieces and nephews.

Mike was preceded in death by his grandparents: Ralph and Erma Johnson and Emil and Lila Kreutzer; mother-in-law, Gloria Ekberg; and brother-in-law, Don Ekberg Jr.

He leaves to mourn his passing; his wife, Lisa Johnson of Holdrege; parents: Waynard and Donna Johnson of Holdrege; brother, Clettis Johnson of Holdrege; sister, Christine Keas of Ft. Worth, Texas; father-in-law, Donald Ekberg of Holdrege; sisters-in-law: Cheryl Langenberg and her husband, Don of Holdrege, Diane Regier and her husband, Kent of Brighton, Colorado, and Lana Benson of Holdrege; nieces and nephews: Tracy Helwick and her husband, Joe, Brett Langenberg, Vanessa, Samantha, and Richard Johnson, Blake and Alexis Ekberg, and Josiah Keas; great-nieces: Hailey Jameson, Emily and Hadley Helwick, and Katrina Johnson; and a host of aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Mike's honor and will be designated at a later date.

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 arrangements.