Gloria H. Johnson, 93, formerly of Winona, St. Charles, and Mabel, died Monday, February 17th at Green Prairie Rehabilitation Center in Plainview.
Gloria was born at home on a farm near Whalen to Harry and Grace (Lerol) Christensen. She graduated from Mabel High in 1949. She married Maynard Johnson at Mabel Lutheran Church on June 19, 1949. She worked at the Countryside Inn in Mabel in the early ‘60’s. In 1963 they moved to Winona. She joined Maynard as a long-distance truck driver for a brief period beginning in 1983. Gloria also worked at the Winona Knitting Mills. In 1996 the Johnson’s moved to St. Charles.
Gloria is survived by daughters Shelley (Alfonso) Pagliarello of Wake Forest, NC, Colette (Michael) Anderson of St. Charles, MN, and son Kevin (Joanne-deceased) Johnson of Maple Grove, MN, and adopted daughter Tami (Tony) Klein, grandchildren Joel Pagliarello, Allison (Eddie) Rogosich, Christine (Eric) Loeding, Lance (Jeannie) Anderson, and Nathan Johnson, 13 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great grandchildren, and her beloved pup Winston. Gloria was preceded in death by her husband Maynard and her parents, Harry and Grace Christensen.
Gloria had a keen wit, was always on top of current events, and was blessed with a beautiful singing voice, which was in demand as a soloist for numerous weddings and funerals when living in Mabel. Her sense of humor was quick and wry and sometimes warped, and it was one of her most memorable attributes. She was an avid bargain-shopper and she always said, “It’s the chase” which was evidenced by her well-stocked closets! She passed this love of shopping to her daughters! Her Mabel friends knew her as “Toni”, a nickname which carried over from her High School days. She left a rich legacy of friends, and even as a resident of Green Prairie Nursing Home of Plainview for her final three years, she left a long-lasting impression. She was one of a kind!
Memorial service will be 11 a.m, Saturday, March 1st at the Mabel First Lutheran Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church. Memorials are preferred to the Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Charles.
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