Clifford “Cliff’ Johnson

Clifford Johnson, 96, of Chappell passed away early Monday morning, July 30, 2018 at the Regional West Garden County Nursing Home in Oshkosh.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday August 6, 2018 at Berea Lutheran Church north of Chappell with Sister Anne Hall officiating. Burial will follow in the Berea Lutheran Cemetery.

Visitation will be one hour before service at the church.

Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home in Chappell is serving the Johnson Family.

Clifford was born on a farm northeast of Chappell, Nebraska, he was the son of the late Anton and Sylvia (Elmquist) Johnson.  He lived on the family farm until age 89 when he became a resident of Riverview, an Assisted Living Facility in Lewellen, Nebraska.

He attended Froid School, a one-room country school, for his elementary education.  In 1939 he graduated from Deuel County High School in Chappell, Nebraska.  He was a life-long member of Berea Lutheran Church, a country church northeast of Chappell. 

Johnson truly loved being a farmer, tilling the soil, planting seed, and harvesting the crops.  He mainly grew wheat, but also, millet, oats and sunflowers.  He continued farming until he was 88 years of age. 

He was a man of deep and abiding faith.  Remembering the words of his parents, "that what we have we give to the Lord." he gave generously to many organizations of the Lutheran Church.  In 2006 he was the recipient of the National Spirit of Giving Award.  This award was presented to him at the 26th Annual Conference of the Association of Lutheran Development Executives in Columbus, Ohio.

He will be affectionately remembered and missed by his sisters, Doris Fransen of Rockford, Illinois, and Jean Ebb of Danvers, Massachusetts.  He will also be missed by his nephew, Steven Fransen of Rockford, Illinois, and his nieces: Joni Omlor of Laguna Beach, California;  Kathryn Purtell of Hebron, Connecticut; Nancy McNamara of Midlothian, Virginia; Karen Hebert of Jacksonville, Florida; Mary Williams of Naples, Florida; Diane Paquette of Georgetown, Massachusetts, and Sharon Samp of Brule, Nebraska, wife of the late Rodney Samp. Others who will be missing him are his many grandnephews and grandnieces, cousins and friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Marjorie Samp, her husband, Larry Samp, and their son, Rodney Samp.  He was also preceded in death by two brother-in-laws: Rev Carl O. Ebb and Gunnar Fransen.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to Berea Lutheran Church, 2874 Highway 27, Chappell, Nebraska, 69129.