Darwin J. Johnson

Darwin Jerome Johnson was born on March 25, 1931, to Olaf and Alice (Beilke) Johnson at home in rural Sleepy Eye. He attended country school across the road from the family farm through 8th grade and then graduated from Sleepy Eye High School in 1949. Darwin played baseball in high school and for the Sleepy Eye Indians Amateur league. On August 20, 1956, Darwin married Carol Jensen at St. Matthews in Evan. They lived and farmed near Evan from 1957 to 1977 until moving to the Jensen family farm in rural Springfield. In 2005, Darwin and Carol moved to Springfield. He was a member of St. Matthew's Church in Evan where he worked as the janitor and served on the church council. Darwin also served on the Brookville Dannebod Cemetery Board and Leavenworth Baseball Board. For 22 years, Darwin worked at Sturm Funeral Homes. He was a wonderful and loving husband, father, grandpa, and great grandpa. All the kids loved Grandpa Whitey and being at the farm especially going to the haybarn. He loved old-time music, watching baseball, and going to sporting events of his children and grandchildren. Darwin died on Monday, January 31, 2022, at Sleepy Eye Medical Center in Sleepy Eye, at the age of 90. He is survived by his wife Carol of 65 years; children - Phil (Debbie) Johnson of Chamberlain, SD, Kahla (Tim) Petersen of Springfield, Karen (Glen) Solarz of St. Cloud, and Diane (Darren) Haugen of Comfrey; grandchildren and great grandchildren - Dan (Angela) Johnson and children Dakota, Bryce, and Reese, Matt (Shantel) Johnson and son Grayson, Mike (Kaylea) Johnson and children Sutton and Everly, Jeff (Anna) Petersen and son Carter, Amy (Michael) Irlbeck and daughter Ruby, Heidi (Shane) Steffl and daughter Rosie and blessed event of twins in June, Ryan (Ashley) Solarz and daughter Lyla, Adam Solarz, Sara (Ryan) Sowada, Dylan Haugen, and Deni Haugen; sister Judy (Mike) Sandmann of Franklin; niece - Teresa (Dan) Hensch and nephew - Brent (Jody) Sandmann. Darwin was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Robert and David; and father and mother-in-law Leonard and Grace Jensen. Visitation 1 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, February 4, 2022 Sturm Funeral Home, Springfield Chapel 407 N. Jackson Springfield, Minnesota, United States 56087 Visitation 2 9:30 am - 10:30 am Saturday, February 5, 2022 St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Evan, MN 124 Knudsen St. Evan, Minnesota, United States 56266 Service Information 10:30 am Saturday, February 5, 2022 St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Evan, MN 124 Knudsen St. Evan, Minnesota, United States 56266 Interment Information Brookville-Dannebod Cemetery Address not given Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, United States 56085