Betty Jo Johnson, 87, a resident of St. Croix Falls, passed away January 14, 2022, at Divine Rehabilitation and Nursing at St. Croix Falls.

Betty was the daughter of Leo and Ruby Anderson of Clam Falls. She was born October 19, 1934, at the home of her great grandparents, John and Hattie Anderson in Lewis, the third of four girls. She lived in Clam Falls the first five years of her life. Her family then moved to her grandparents’ farm, Edward and Marie Anderson, 2 1/2 miles east of Lewis.

She attended a one room grade school known as Rocky Ridge and graduated from Frederic High School. She was selected as a Home Coming Queen attendant in her senior year of high school.
At 17, she moved to Chicago to attend the Lutheran Deaconess School of Nursing and graduated in May of 1955 as a Registered Nurse.

Betty married Art Johnson, Jr. October 1, 1955, at the Clam Falls Lutheran Church. Art was in the Air Force and Betty worked as a nurse everywhere they were stationed including a special assignment as an RN working for the Department of Defense in Okinawa at the height of the Vietnam War. She was very dedicated to her nursing career and enthusiastically enjoyed her work.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Ruby Anderson and her three sisters, Shirley Anderson, Marilyn Erickson, and Rayola Edling.

Betty is survived by her husband, Art Johnson, Jr.; daughters, Debbie (Wade) Rufsholm and Lenee’ Tudahl; grandchildren, Aaron (Monica) Johnson, Kevin Hicks, Rebecca Hicks, Alison (Josh) Sampson, Rick (Alicia)Kurkowski and Kyle Rufsholm; several great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Last Update: Jan 17, 2022 3:24 pm CST