Dwayne B. Johnson

Dwayne B. Johnson, 79, Beardsley, MN, passed away Saturday, January 16, 2016, at Essentia Health-Holy Trinity Hospital in Graceville, MN.

Funeral services will be Thursday, January 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Beardsley with Rev. Anna Williamson officiating. Music will be provided by organist Kathy Issendorf and vocalists Sue Sykora and Stacey Borgheiinck.

Burial will be in the Valley View Cemetery, Browns Valley. Honorary pallbearers will be grandchildren Nick, Cody and Crystal Johnson, Brittany Brennan, Karissa and Lauren Kuschel and Danika Johnson. Active pallbearers will be Kyle Anderson, Dustin Anderson, Ed Homan, Pat Homan, Randy Erickson and Glen Evenson.

Visitation will be Thursday one hour prior to the service at the church.

Dwayne Bernell Johnson was born September 19, 1936, to parents Lester and Gladys (German) Johnson in Sisseton, SD. He lived on a farm near Peever, graduating in 1954. He was a member of the South Dakota National Guard and worked for a dairy farmer for a year. In 1956, Dwayne moved to Minneapolis and worked in a gas station for Bill Swarthout until 1962.

Dwayne met his wife Shirley Manee at the gas station on December 28, 1957, and gave her a diamond a week later. They were married June 7, 1958, blessed with 57 ½ beautiful years.

Dwayne then leased his own Shell and Texaco stations until he lost his lease to Kmart Corporation. He returned to "Bill's" until early 1969. He then moved to Beardsley and owned and operated Johnson's Service Garage for nearly 30 years. He also raised beef cattle and farmed in his "spare time." When he turned 62, Dwayne retired from mechanics. He continued to farm until 2004 when he had a farm auction. After retiring, he was finally able to begin restoring his twelve plus old antique cars and pickup trucks.

Dwayne loved to garden. He cut back each year but still had too much produce. Three heads of his cabbage produced 50 pounds of sauerkraut. He so enjoyed and loved the Kuschel girls in their early years and the past three years – the joy of his life, Danika.

Dwayne is survived by his sweetheart and loving wife, Shirley Johnson of Beardsley; four children, Gary (Sharon) Johnson of Cold Spring, MN, Cheryl (Gregory) Anderson of Belgrade, MN, Lori (Dave) Kuschel of Browns Valley, MN, and Jason (Sara) Johnson of Beardsley; eight grandchildren, Nick and Cody Johnson, Kyle (Joelle) Anderson, Dustin (fiancée Jessica Kotten) Anderson, Brittany (John) Brennan, Karissa Kuschel and friend Mike Murphy, Lauren Kuschel and friend Tyler Schwagel, and Danika Johnson; six great-grandchildren, Logan, Zoey, Harper and Keegen Anderson, Kaden German and Carter Brennan; one step granddaughter, Crystal Johnson; three step great-grandchildren, Mason, Maddie and Parker; nine brothers and sisters, Arden (Berdine) Johnson of Winsted, MN, Lonnie (Kathy) Johnson of Oneida, WI, Joan (Dan) McGraw of Cheyenne, WY, LaVonne Erickson of Beardsley, Bonnie (Delwin) Voelsch of Watertown, SD, Judy (Myron) Moen of Madison, SD, Linda Halling of Watertown, SD, Donna (Jerry) Gano of Hill City, KS, and Donnie Johnson of Watertown, SD; six brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim Manee of Jacobson, MN, Bill (Lois) Manee of Ola, ID, Faye (Carl Ohliger) Manee of Granite Falls, MN, Judy (Steve) Goddard of Heber, AZ, Joyce (Bud) Kalkes of Heber, AZ, and Lon (Lynette) Manee of Granite Falls, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dwayne is preceded in death by his parents; mother and father-in-law, Helen and Delbert Manee; son, Ronnie Glen at age 6 years; granddaughter, Megan Kuschel at 1 year; and infant sister, Glenda Johnson.