Allen J. Johnson

Allen J. Johnson, 73, of South Sioux City, NE, passed away from pancreatic cancer on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, surrounded by his family. A celebration of Al's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 3, 2012, at Nora Unitarian Universalist Church in Hanska, MN. Burial will be in Mt. Pisqua Cemetery in rural Hanska. The family will be available to receive friends and relatives one hour prior to the service and after the service at the church. Allen James Johnson was born May 19, 1939, on the family farm in Gales Township near Milroy, MN, the fourth of five children of Harold and Erma (Knutson) Johnson. Following graduation from Milroy High School, he attended Augsburg College and the University of Minnesota. On January 12, 1962, Al married Rebecca Blomquist of Hanska, MN. They made their home in South Sioux City and on the shores of Pelican Lake near Brainerd, MN. This past January Al and Becky celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their five children - Darron, Saundi, Stacie, Jae, and Shana. In 1959, Al began his working career in sales and commercial leasing with a division of 3M Company. In May of 1967, he joined Joe Morten & Son, Inc./Gre...[more]

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West Casualty Company as an underwriter. He transferred to Great West's affiliated agency, Dornberger & Company, in Sioux Falls, SD, returning to Great West in South Sioux City as vice president, underwriting, in 1979, and eventually CEO in 1992 and Chairman in 1998. In June of 2001, Al retired from Great West. Al has served on the boards and executive committees of the American Trucking Associations Foundation and Truck Research Institute, Truckload Carriers Association, Nebraska Truckers Association, and First Federal Bank of Sioux City, Iowa. He has served on various boards in Siouxland: the United Way Campaign, Mercy Medical Center; Siouxland Community Foundation, Chamber of Commerce in both Sioux City and South Sioux City; Siouxland Initiative Executive Committee, and Tri-State Graduate Center, and Siouxland Regional Cancer Center, which later became the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. He also served on the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education appointed by then-Governor Ben Nelson. Through Al, we learned to appreciate life to its fullest. He enjoyed traveling to his children's homes for visits and watching his grandkids in all their activities. He loved to spend time hunting and fishing, golfing, reading, completing crossword puzzles (in pen), following the Huskers, Twins and Vikings, and gathering with his friends for morning mochas. He found great happiness taking care of his lake home and watching the eagles, bluebirds, and sunsets with Becky at Pelican Lake. Al is lovingly remembered by his wife, Becky; their children, Darron and Cindy Johnson, Erica and Alicia of Fargo, ND; Saundi and Lace Fugleberg of Eagle, NE, and their children Cale and Megan Fugleberg of Fayetteville, NC, and Dane and Brittany Fugleberg of Wichita, KS; Stacie Johnson, and Bradie of South Sioux City, NE; Jae and Aaron Tasler, and Emma and Sam of Maple Grove, MN; Shana and Corey Erdkamp, Colby, Jace, and Tanner of Omaha, NE; his brother Merton and wife JoAn of Alexandria, MN; sister Joyce Snyder of Alexandria, MN; and brother Ken and wife Sandy of Crosby, MN, an aunt and uncle, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ardyce Solseth. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mercy Medical Center, the June E. Nylen Cancer Center or Nora Unitarian Universalist Church.