Warren W. Johnson

Warren Johnson’s spirit parted ways with his body on December 10 at the age of nearly 97.

Warren had strong, straight, skilled hands that he used his entire life to create, build, care, and repair. He began learning from his uncles and father who were mechanics and engineers on farms, the railroad, and in the military, to make the most of a few resources to solve problems. As a teenager, he worked for his uncle Benna Johnson of Benna Ford and learned the art of automotive repair. “They only told you once,” he recounted, “and you had to get it right.”

His hands were also facile with a basketball, and after playing for Two Harbors and The Moose teams, he turned down a full scholarship to play ball for Colorado State. He played guitar in his youth and continued playing into his eighties with his band The Out of Towners, at pancake breakfasts and nursing homes. He felled and peeled logs to build a cabin on Pequaywan Lake, his first home with his wife Aileen Olson, and later constructed a fine, split-level home on 4th Avenue based on drawings he found in a magazine. A lifelong woodworker, he led the Senior Citizen Workshop for two decades, creating heirloom furniture for his family and donating pieces to community organizations. 

Warren had an entrepreneurial spirit and bought a local milk distributorship that he grew into a thriving business delivering dairy products and ice throughout the frozen northland. Those hands lifted four milk cases at a time, and he mentored many young men on the value of hard work and having fun—they even had a friendly competition with the mail carriers to see who could continue their deliveries despite snowstorms and blizzards.

He cared deeply about serving others. As a member of the Lake County Advisory Board, he and Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar, then the nursing home administrator, toured the state to gather best practices in elder care which led to establishing the assisted living facility adjacent to the nursing home in Two Harbors. 

Known for his humble charm, mischievous sense of humor, and a little cantankerous streak, Warren was a loyal and lifelong friend, always checking on others, solving problems, or playing cribbage. He valued honesty and integrity, derided hypocrisy or fakery, and earned the love and respect of his large, extended family. He is preceded in death by his wife Aileen, brothers Curtis and Dick Johnson, parents Emma and Sigfred Johnson, and numerous adored uncles and aunts. He was most proud of his family and will be missed by his children, Julie Westlund (John), Mitch Johnson (Vicki), Diana Divecha (Arjun), and Kurt Johnson (Wendy), along with six grandchildren, their partners, and seven great-grandchildren.

In his last week, Warren held his great grandson, his namesake, in his lap. He died three days after his hands stopped working. Warren found his spirituality in nature, particularly in the Cloquet Valley State Forest region where he knew every rock, tree, and river. His body will be cremated, and a memorial gathering will be held in those woods next summer. 

Donations in Warren’s honor can be made to The Senior Citizen Workshop and Art Center and mailed in care of Julie Westlund, 32 W. 9th St., Duluth, MN 55806. To share a memory or leave an online condolence, please visit www.cavallinfuneralhome.com.