Vivian Johnson Kirkevold

Vivian Johnson

Kirkevold, 95, Minot and

formerly of Souris, died

Thursday April 16, 2020

in a Minot hospital from

complications related to

dementia.

Vivian Marie was born

on February 4, 1925 on

the family farm near

Souris, ND to Harold and

Gurie (Brenden) Nordslet-ten. She was raised on the

family farm and went to

both a country school and

Augustana Lutheran

Academy in Canton, SD.

She continued her educa-

tion at the North Dakota

School of Forestry in Bot-

tineau. As a young adult

she and two friends

operated a gift shop in

Bottineau.

While working in

Mohall, Vivian met Mar-

lowe Johnson and they

were married on Sep-

tember 25, 1949 at Lesje

Lutheran Church near

Souris. They made their

home in Minot where she

was employed by the

Selective Service Ad-

ministration and he was

employed by the Minot

Public School System

eventually becoming Su-

perintendent. They were

the parents of seven chil-

dren: Diane, Susan, Vick-

ie, Peggy, Marlowe, Kurt

and Douglas. Vivian’s

children spent many sum-

mer days at her family’s

farm near Souris helping

her parents with farming,

gardening, and household

chores. Later, they owned

and operated the Parker

Hotel in downtown

Minot.

Vivian later married

Earl Kirkevold on No-

vember 17, 1982. They

made their home in

Minot. He died in April of

1989. Vivian was a

co-owner of Bell Tower

Antiques in Burlington,

ND with Twyla Bohrer.

She loved looking for an-

tiques to sell in their

shop. She continued to re-

side in Minot where she

assisted her daughter,

Peggy, in the operation of

Peggy’s Gift Shoppe. Most

recently she resided at

Minot Health and Rehab

for the past seven years.

Vivian was a member of

Bethany Lutheran

Church, enjoying Couple’s

Club and

Mother-Daughter Teas.

She enjoyed sewing and

making her children’s

clothes when they were

young. Vivian loved gar-

dening and growing beau-

tiful flowers, especially

gladiolas. Vivian loved

games, baking and cook-

ing, art, drawing and

spending time with her

children and grandchil-

dren.

Vivian’s loving family

includes her children: Di-

ane Johnson Eddy (Gary

Prinzing) of Great Falls

MT; Vickie (Kevin) Jean of

Edmond, OK; Peggy (Tim)

Beach of Minot; Marlowe

Jr. (Jennifer) Johnson of

Minot and Kurt Johnson

of Edina MN;

daughter-in-law: Judy

Johnson of Minnetonka,

MN; her twenty-two

grandchildren: Rachel

Lazenby, Rebekah Lesser,

Matthew, Gabrielle, Josie,

and Zach Eddy; Jennifer

Katzung, Melissa Blood

and Christopher Jean; An-

thony, Alex, Ashley and

Andrew Beach; Michael,

Marcus and Matthew

Johnson; Sarah Uzlik,

Benjamin and Stephen

Johnson; David Nordslet-

ten, Eric and Chloe John-

son and 21 great

grandchildren. Several

nieces, nephews and

cousins including Owen

Brenden of Minot also

survive.

Vivian was preceded in

death by her parents, hus-

band, infant daughter: Su-

san, son: Douglas,

daughter-in-law: Maureen

Johnson, granddaughter:

Nicole Johnson and broth-

ers: Orville, Howard and

Harold Jr. Nordsletten.

Celebration of the Life

of Vivian Johnson

Kirkevold: (Tentatively)

July 31, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

in Bethany Lutheran

Church, Minot.

An online Register may

be signed and memories

and condolences shared at

www.thomasfamilyfunera

lhome.com.

Memorials are pre-

ferred to the Minot Public

School Foundation or

Alzheimer’s Association.

(Arrangements have

been entrusted to the Tho-

mas Family Funeral Home

– Minot).