Richard "Dick" A. Johnson

Richard “Dick” A. Johnson, 82, Mandan, passed away on July 9, 2016, at CHI St. Alexius Health. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday at 10:30 AM at Spirit of Life Church, 801 1st Street SE, Mandan. Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a rosary/vigil service will begin at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Dick was born on July 31, 1933, in Fargo, ND, to Al and Dorothy Johnson. He was raised and attended schools in Fargo. Dick was in the first class to graduate from Shanley High School in 1951. He attended NDSU until enlisting in the United States Air Force in April of 1953. Dick served most of his time in Japan and Rapid City, SD. On September 19, 1953, he married his childhood sweetheart, Delores Ukestad, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fargo. They were blessed with three children. Dick was honorably discharged from the Air Force in April 1957 and started working for Northwestern Bell Telephone in Fargo. He worked in Fargo, Williston, Grand Forks, and Valley City, and in 1966, transferred to Rugby, ND, as manager. In 1968 he changed career fields joining the Bremer Bank group in Rugby as loan officer and later as vice-president. He graduated from Colorado School of Banking in August 1976. He also served on the Executive Council of the North Dakota Banker’s Association from 1979 – 1981. In October of 1986, he began working in Garrison as the executive vice-president of Garrison State Bank. Dick was very active in community affairs serving a variety of capacities including serving on the city council in Rugby for four years. He was a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Lions Club, and Chamber of Commerce. He retired from banking in 1999. Dick enjoyed hunting, golf, and playing cards. He was very proud of his grandchildren, instilling in them the love of hunting and the outdoors. Dick is survived by the love of his life, his wife Delores of Mandan; his daughters, Tammy (Gene) Heinrich of Medina, ND, and Kari Johnson of Bismarck; three grandchildren, Richie (Sarah), Michael, and Chris Heinrich; and many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his son, Steve; his parents, Al and Dorothy Johnson; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Larry and Margaret Ukestad; and his brothers-in-law, Al Soukup, Jerry Arendt, and Al Bortke. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Garrison Fire Department or to St. Jude’s Hospital.