Lena (Dale) Johnson (1880-1937)

DALE, JOHNSON, OLSEN, AMLUND

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 8/28/2024 at 20:03:25

From Story City Herald August 19, 1937 (page 5)

MRS. CHAS. F. JOHNSON

Mrs. Chas. F. Johnson (nee Lena Dale) was born in Story City March 14, 1880, and died at the Lutheran hospital in Des Moines on August 5, 1937, being thus at the time of her death 57 years, 4 months and 21 days old.

Her parents were Hans and Engel Dale, who were early pioneers of the Story City community. Her father died in 1901, and she is survived by her husband, her mother, a step daughter (Mrs. Hans Olsen of Jamestown, N. Y.) and 3 brothers and 2 sisters, namely Lars and Hannah Dale of Story City, Annas Dale of Chicago, Peter Dale of Des Moines and Mrs. Evan Amlund of Minneapolis.

On October 24, 1907, she was married to Chas. F. Johnson.

For a third of a century and more Mrs. Johnson's name was almost a synonym for music in this community. In her teens she started to play the organ in the St. Petri church, and for forty years or so she occupied the positions of organist and choir director with only a few intermissions, and there were times she held both positions simultaneously. These are at times trying positions, and it is to the credit of Mrs. Johnson that in all the years she served with exceptional faithfulness and success.

All musical movements in the community met with her unstinted support, and she gave freely of her time and talent in fostering a taste for the better things in music.

Funeral services were held on Monday, August 9th, with Rev. Havneros of Mable, Minn., conducting the same. At the St. Petri church an amplifying system enabled an overflow audience on the lawn to hear the singing and the sermon. The choir sang special numbers.

Resolution

Whereas, our Heavenly Father has seen fit to remove by death from our midst, our beloved, faithful and untiring church organist, Mrs. C. F. Johnson;

Whereas, for a period of more than two score years she has with marked faithfulness and in a devoted Christian spirit, filled her post, often a dual one, as both organist and choir director;

Whereas, she has so served with marked ability and fidelity, and given of her time and talent without stint over this long period of time, and

Whereas, this loss to us, according to our frail understanding, will seem irreparable;

Be it resolved that: We humbly and obediently bow to the will of our Almighty and Gracious God, knowing full well that he will not only guide us as a congregation thru this season of bereavement and sorrow, but that He will not only guide us as a congregation thru this season of bereavement and sorrow, but that He will also comfort and assuage him who will sense the loss most keenly, together with the daughter, the aged mother and surviving brothers and sisters.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the bereaved home.

St. Petri Congregation.
(This resolution was adopted at a special meeting of the congregation August 8, 1937.)