Ruth A. Johnson, 72, Eden Valley

February 14, 1944 - February 28, 2016

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Assumption Catholic Church in Eden Valley for Ruth A. Johnson, age 72, who passed away Sunday at the St. Cloud Hospital surrounded by her family. Rev. Robert Rolfes will officiate and burial will be at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Eden Valley. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday and after 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Eden Valley. Parish prayers will be 7:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Ruth Ann Johnson was born Feb. 14, 1944 in Minneapolis to Ronald & Barbara (Moody) Scrimshaw. The family moved to Brainerd in 1945 and Ruth was educated in the Brainerd Public Schools. Ruth graduated from Brainerd High School in 1962, from Brainerd Junior College with an AA degree in 1964, and from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth with a BA in math education in 1966. Her first teaching position was in Eden Valley where she met Walter “Wally” Johnson. They were married Aug. 3, 1968 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Brainerd. They lived in Golden Valley and Plymouth where their first two children were born. Ruth taught in the Robbinsdale school system. They moved to the Johnson family farm in 1974 and their third child was born in 1977. Ruth returned to full time teaching in 1984 in Kimball and retired in 2006.

Ruth was an active member of both St. Peter’s and Assumption Catholic Churches. She also was a member of Mother Teresa Mission Group and Eves of Eden Extension Group, volunteered as a religion teacher, and delivered Meals on Wheels. Ruth enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing, reading, quilting, and traveling. She was an intelligent, caring, giving, strong and stoic person. Ruth was a master problem solver; enjoyed Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Scrabble and Sudoko. She donated to many charities and touched many lives, and always put others before herself.

Survivors include her son and daughters, Fred (Anno) Johnson of Eden Valley, Susan (Travis) Bischof of New Richmond, WI, Margie (Mike) Tracy of Belle Plaine; grandchildren, Bradley, Emily, Dylan, Grant, Zach, Brooke and Caleb; and brothers and sisters, Ronald (Karen) Scrimshaw of Brainerd, Judy Scrimshaw of Brainerd, Tim (Patricia) Scrimshaw of Minneapolis, Patrick Scrimshaw of Brainerd, and Joan (Chuck) Wynn of Brainerd. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Wally on May 7, 2015.