The Mass of Christian burial and Rosary Service for Maurice Johnson, age 97, of Lemmon will be 10:30am Friday, November 25, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lemmon. Fr Brian Fawcett will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery at Lemmon.


Serving as casketbearers are Jess Carmichael, Thomas Munyon, Fred Beer, Jade Lyon, Richard Krausz, and Milton Storm. All friends and neighbors are considered honorary bearers.


MAURICE YOUEL JOHNSON was born January 30, 1908 at Pipestone, MN to Chris and Gertrude (Alida) Johnson. At the age of two years, he moved with his family to a homestead four miles north of Faith, SD. He attended Flint Rock rural school all nine grades. On January 4, 1932, he was united in marriage to Alyce Briscoe at Isabel, SD. To this union, two children, Monte and Dorothy were born.


In 1939, they purchased land southwest of Meadow along Thunder Butte Creek in Perkins County. They later built a house and outbuildings. They lived there until moving into the HUD Housing in Lemmon in 1988. Due to failing health, he entered Five Counties Nursing Home in September of 2003. He passed from this life there on Monday evening, November 21, at the age of 97 years, 9 months, 21 days.


Surviving family members include his wife, Alyce, Lemmon; 1 daughter and son-in-law, Dorothy and Einar Drageset, Isabel; 1 daughter-in-law, Beverly Johnson, St. Cloud, MN; 7 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; 4 step-great granddaughters; 6 great great grandchildren; 6 step great great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Monte on April 7, 2005; 5 brothers, Chester, Jess, John in infancy, Curtis and Arthur Johnson; 6 sisters, Inez Roshiem, Inga Kerr, Violet Johnson, Elsie Hill, Laura Anderson, and Arlette Johnson in infancy.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, MN and to the St. Mary's Catholic Church Handicap Access Fund.