Donald Johnson

Donald W. Johnson, 90, of Lansing died Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 27 at 2 p.m. at Thornburg - Grau Funeral Home in Lansing with Pastor Laura Gentry officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing. Friends may greet the family from 1 p.m. until time of services Wednesday at the funeral home.

Donald William Johnson was born July 29, 1933 in Lansing, the son of Hjalmer and Irene (Slindee) Johnson. He attended Eastern Allamakee Schools in Lansing and served in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955. March 21, 1956, he married Marie Lou Ellefson at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing.

He worked as a gas station attendant, at the John Deere Shop, and for Eastern Allamakee Schools, where he was a janitor, bus driver and a bus mechanic. Don and Marie moved to Oelwein in 2007, before moving to Waukon in 2011. In 2018, he moved back to Lansing to Thornton Manor.

Don was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, was a volunteer fireman for the Lansing Fire Department, and was a member of the Lansing VFW. He enjoyed a bus trip to Branson with Marie, camping and watching NASCAR. Don loved taking walks and on several of his birthdays, he would walk from Lansing to Waukon.

Survivors include his children: Perry Johnson of Waukon and Rick (Marsha) Johnson of Oelwein; a step-granddaughter, Rheanon Leverington; a sister, Janice “Red” Johnson of Lansing; three nephews, Kenny Johnson, Kirkland Ellefson and Kyle Johnson; and a niece, Teletha Joyner. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Marie, who died in 2019; his daughter, Audrey Johnson; and three brothers, Alton “Gene”, Paul and Kenneth Johnson.

Honorary casketbearers are Perry and Rick Johnson, Bob Teff and Jack Grampovnik. Casketbearers are Tom Garrett, Keenan Johnson, Kenny Johnson, Dan Manning, Paul Wagner and Kirkland Ellefson. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.