Audrey Louise Johnson

Audrey Louise (Hetland) Johnson, age 92, died peacefully at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Springfield, Minnesota on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023.

A funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 7th at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the church.  Interment will be at the Springfield Cemetery with a luncheon following at the Springfield Community Center.

Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield.

Audrey was born on July 23, 1931 in Crookston, Minnesota, the only child of Lloyd Hetland, Norman County attorney and Alpha (Tvedten) Hetland, Norman County nurse.  She graduated from Ada High School in 1949.  After high school, she attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1953.  On July 12, 1953 she was united in marriage to Ronald Johnson, her high school sweetheart.  Following their wedding they moved to the naval air station, Point Mugu near Oxnard, California, where Ron served in the United States Navy. In 1957 the couple moved to Springfield, where they lived and raised their family for the next 66 years.

In Springfield, Audrey was an active community member, serving on the library board, St. John's Auxiliary and participating in the literary society and knitting group.  She taught Sunday school, confirmation classes, adult bible studies, and participated in women’s circles at St John’s Lutheran Church.  She also served as an officer in the conference WELCA group.  Audrey was employed at the Springfield Public Library for over 20 years.

Audrey was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and a devoted friend.  She had a gift for connecting with people.  She stayed in touch with friends, cherished visits with family, and enjoyed sharing homemade bars, cookies, and Norwegian treats with them. She loved her home on the hill on the outskirts of Springfield where she and Ron raised their four sons.  Over the years, she enjoyed many happy times at the Johnson cabin on Mule Lake and later at the Long Lake cabin near Longville.

She is survived by her four sons: Kurt (Anne-Lise) of New Ulm, Jeff (Kirsten) of Sudbury, Massachusetts, Chris (Katie) of Elk River, and Mark of Northfield; six grandchildren: Peder, Matthew, Nate (Anna), Annika, Hannah and Sarah; and cousins: Terry Wharton, Nancy King, Michael Tvedten, Jean Anderson, and Betty Bergland. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ron in 2003, and brothers-in-law Merton and Delford Johnson and sister-in-law Jocelyn Bennefeld.

Memorials are preferred to St. Olaf College, St. John’s Lutheran Nursing Home, or the Springfield Area Foundation.