David Earl Johnson

David Earl Johnson, age 83, died on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Nursing Home in Sauk Rapids, MN.  The burial of his urn will take place at a later date, at the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery at Little Falls, MN.

David was born May 19, 1942, in Fredric, WI, to Earl C. Johnson and Evelyn M. (Ellingson) Johnson. When David was 8 years old his family moved to St. Cloud, MN and David has lived in this area since that time. He attended Washington Elementary School, Central Junior High and graduated from Tech High School in 1960. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1964 and served in Vietnam where he received a Purple Heart. After he returned home, he began working as a carpet layer, until 1986. He then worked for Enterprise Car Rental for 15 years, retiring in 2004.

In his younger days, David enjoyed bowling for the Moose Lodge, and his pheasant and deer hunting trips with “the guys”. After he met his wife Jan, he joined her family on their annual pheasant hunting trips to SD and their deer hunting at the cabin. He married Janis (Grittner Anderson) on November 1. 1988, during one of their trips to SD. He was a kind gentle man.

David is survived by his wife, Jan, two half-sisters: Ruth Wire (Dan) Aitchison and Beverly Wire Trombley and his three nieces and their three children. He is also survived by Jan’s three siblings and their families: the Dana (Ginger) O’Brien family and Tom (Yvonne) O’Brien family, one uncle and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Earl Johnson in 1988, stepmother, Iris Moore O’Brien Johnson, his mother Evelyn Johnson Wire Steffes in 2006 and two stepfathers, Ralph Wire and Don Steffes

Memorials are preferred to Pheasants Forever at 1783 Buerkle Circle, St Paul, MN 55110 and to V.F.W. Granite Post #428 Honor Guard Squad at 9 – 18th Ave N, St Cloud, MN 56301.