Ruby Helen Johnson

Johnson, Ruby Helen 86, of Golden Valley. Iron Range Democrat mother of ten (some Republicans), Ruby passed away peacefully at home with her family after a long illness. Ruby's parents were immigrants from Finland and settled in Hibbing where her father John Alfred worked at the Hull-Rust mine, losing his life in an accident in 1945. At the time, her sister Hedy was serving in the OSS in Sweden and her brother Hedley serving as a tail gunner in the South Pacific. After graduating from Hibbing High School and Hibbing Junior College, Ruby moved to Minneapolis working for the American Petroleum Institute before marrying Vince Johnson, a young attorney and Air Corps veteran and began her new life as wife and mother. Ruby was a very passionate participant in a number of causes and longtime weekly volunteer for the League of Catholic Women, Loaves and Fishes, as well as serving as an election judge, community organizer and social justice promoter. Ruby and Vince took in Hmong refugees in their home after the fall of Vietnam. Ruby lived the Sermon on the Mount and shepherded her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to do the same. Ruby was an avid downhill skier and an even more avid reader. She put up with a number of her children's adventures including guest roles in Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Survived by spouse of 61 years, Vincent; daughters, Paula (Len), Karen T., Barbara (Ron) and Bonnie; sons, Patrick (Mary), Allen (Sue), Joseph, Thomas, Timothy (Katrina) and Ted (Stewart); as well as nieces and nephews including Janet, Mark and David Johnson; 18 grandchildren, including Tracee (Sri), Katie (Jesse), Natalie (Justin), Eva (John), Jesse (Lori), Alex, Emily (David), Jamie (Jim), Alicia, Chalice, Tommy, Nikolet, Jackie, Emma, Moritz, Chamonix, Brighton and Soleil; five great-grandchildren, Ruby, Eleanor, Aiden, Brody and Beckett. Visitation Thursday, September 5th from 5 to 8 p.m (prayer service 7 p.m.) at Gearty Delmore Funeral Chapel, 3888 W. Broadway, Robbinsdale. Mass of the Christian Burial, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 2323 Zenith Ave N., Golden Valley, 11 a.m. Friday, September 6th with visitation one hour prior. Private interment. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Catholic Charities. Gearty-Delmore 763-537-4511
This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.