Virgil Johnson

Virgil A. Johnson died peacefully May 31, 2019.

Services will be held at 10:30 am Wednesday, June 5, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Ave., Bismarck, with Pastor Julie Anderson officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Tuesday, June 4, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm.

Virgil was born March 9, 1930 on a farm in Suring, Wis. He was the 10th child of 13. When he was born the doctor told his mother that this one would never make it. Anyone that knows Virgil with all his escapades and accidents, know that he sure proved that doctor wrong. June 30, 1947 he married his 4-H sweetheart Marie Alice Krause (Mary). They were one month shy of 72 years this year. To this union five children were born; David, Daniel, Cynthia, Mark and John.

In 1949 Virgil and Mary, with son David, moved to southern Wisconsin. Thus began his life long career in cheese making. First in Seneca, then moving to Stitzer, he opened his first cheese plant in 1950. There he made various cheeses including: swiss, provolone, mozzarella, cheddar, and butter. From 1962 to 1983 Virgil opened cheese plants in Selfridge (ND), Wishek (ND), Timber Lake (SD), and Dickinson (ND). With all of this product needing to be hauled, Virgil opened a trucking line in 1970. By 1972, so much travel between the Dakota's and Wis. became too much time away from his family. So, Virgil packed up his family and headed west to Bismarck, ND. After moving to ND, Virgil opened up his whey plant, Whey-to-go (later known as Dakota Country Cheese). By 2010, with prices low, costs high, and a scarcity of farmers-at the age of 80 Virgil decided to retire, and on June 26th, 2010 the last batch of cheese was made.

Being born and raised on a farm, Virgil always had a love for the land. In his earlier years he was often planting trees. He loved his tractors, his 4 wheelers and planting potatoes. Prior to his death, Virgil was able to put in 61 hills of potatoes for the year. (Dad they are all up)

Virgil was an avid hunter and fisherman. He fished the Mississippi, where he had a cabin; going down to it each weekend. He never could out fish his wife. Virgil would moose hunt in Canada, elk hunt in Colorado and deer hunt in Wis. and ND. He almost always had his wife at his side. They would be ruffing it in a tent, staying in a motor home or eventually at his cabin in Colorado. Virgil grinned from ear to ear when he could open up his boat on the Missouri River. He loved a challenge, whether it be trying to go up the rapids in Canada, taking on an extra 50 loads of milk during the holiday season, or tinkering with old equipment- that you wouldn't think should ever work again.

He was a life time member of the Bismarck Mandan Elks Lodge and Fraternal Order of the Eagles.

Left on this earth with many cherished memories are: his wife Mary; children, Daniel, Cynthia, Mark, and John; sisters, Neva Hodge Lemorande, Dora Slang, Laurel Herich; sister-in-law, Judy Philipsen; grandchildren, David (Brenna), Lisa (Richard), Sarah (Nick), Maggie (Ryan), Alexis, Emily, Virgil, and Matthew; great-grandchildren, Liam, Dane, Soren, Sophie, James, Zoë, and a little boy in Oct; his hunting partner Colleen, best friend and hunting partner Ron Helstad; and all of the Green Bay Packer Fans; the tent people and river friends.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Lars and Angeline (Reed); brothers, Lars Jr. and Verna, Kenneth and Alice, Clyde and Doris, Ronald and Wilhemina, and Dale; sisters, Wilma and Joe Valinta, Audrey and Hank Kralovitz, Beverley and Erling Arneson, May and Virgil; Olick, and brother-in-law, Arnold Herich; his son, David and his wife Cheryl; and grandson, Nicholas Johnson (Grandpa’s Farmer Boy).

Captain, you will be missed.

In lieu of flowers plant a potato, a tree, or donate to a charity.