Elaine J. Johnson
April 4, 1932-May 5, 2019
Elaine J. Johnson, 87,
Minot, ND, passed away
Sunday, May 5, 2019, in a
Minot hospital.
Elaine Joyce Kopecky
was born April 4, 1932,
the daughter of Albert and
Emma (Pesek) Kopecky,
in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Later that year, they
moved to a farm near Ta-
bor, MN, where she at-
tended a county grade
school. She graduated
from the Northwest
School of Agriculture in
Crookston (a branch of
University of Minnesota)
in 1950. She was elected
Homecoming Queen her
senior year. In April of
1950, she went to work
for Implement Dealers
Mutual Insurance Co. in
Grand Forks and met her
future husband. She
worked there until 1954.
Elaine married Charles
“Chuck” Johnson August
8, 1952, in Grand Forks,
ND. They made their
home in Grand Forks un-
til May of 1957, when
they moved to Minot.
Charles had a real estate
office (Central Invest-
ment) and insurance of-
fice. She worked as his
secretary from 1966 to
1972. She then went to
work for Minot Federal
Savings & Loan (later
known as Midwest
Federal Savings Bank) and
worked in several depart-
ments for 19 years ending
her employment as the
executive secretary.
She had been a member
of the Professional Secre-
taries, Int. and National
Association of Bank Wom-
en. She was a Brownie
Leader and was a Secre-
tary of the Edison PTA
while her children were
in school.
She and Charles had
three children, Gail
(Mike) Merck and Susan
(Lonnie) Heth, both of
Minot, and Alan Johnson,
Sugar Land, TX. They had
four grandchildren, Jason
(Ricole) Merck, Stefanie
(Tyler) Neether, Megan
(Kenton) Kossan, and An-
drew (Mikalyn) Heth; all
of Minot.
Great-Grandchildren, Jay-
cee and Lainey Neether,
Bridger Kossan, and Alexa
and Alysa Rice.
The family spent many
summers at their cabin on
MacKay Island at Lake
Metigoshe. She was an ex-
cellent cook and baker.
She had her favorites but
was always trying new re-
cipes. She enjoyed gar-
dening, her flowers, bird
watching, crossword puz-
zles, embroidering dish
towels for her children
and grandchildren and
watching her grandchil-
dren at sporting events.
She started her personal
computer training at the
age of 75 and enjoyed
sending and receiving
emails.
Elaine enjoyed the
friendships she made
while taking Aerobics at
the YMCA, playing Bridge
and living at The View.
She was a member of First
Lutheran Church in
Minot.
Charles passed away
August 27, 2004. She was
also preceded in death by
her parents; and brother,
Donald.
She is survived by: her
children and grandchil-
dren; sisters, Adeline
Qualheim and Alice Liza-
kowski, both of Grand
Forks, ND; brother, Philip
Kopecky, Grand Forks,
ND; sister-in-law, Nita
Johnson; and several
nieces and nephews.
Funeral: Saturday, May
11, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at
First Lutheran Church,
Minot.
Interment: Rosehill
Memorial Park, Minot,
ND.
Visitation: Friday from
5 to 7 p.m. at
Thompson-Larson Fun-
eral Home, Minot.
Memorials: are pre-
ferred to the Children’s
Discovery Center in Minot
or to First Lutheran
Church in Minot.
Those wishing to sign
the online register and
share memories may ac-
cess the online obituaries
section at www.thompson
larson.com.