Gerald "Gerry" Johnson

Gerald "Gerry" Johnson, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away Friday, September 26, 2025, at Essentia Health in Fargo, ND. 

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, 1725 Washington Prairie Road, Decorah, Iowa, with Pastor Kristin Kopperud-Stinn presiding. Burial will be at a later date.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday morning at the church.

Gerald Newhouse Johnson was born January 2, 1937, in Decorah (Winneshiek County), Iowa. His parents were Ernest Clifford and Stella Mae (Newhouse) Johnson. His grandparents were Albert and Myrtle (Casterton) Newhouse and John and Anna (Kolseth) Johnson.

He was baptized by the Reverend Paul Koren while still in the hospital. He was confirmed by the Rev. Oscar Engebretson at Washington Prairie Church in rural Decorah, Iowa.

He attended one-room rural schools at the Nordness school and later the Red Oak school. He graduated from Decorah High School in 1954. He attended Luther College for one year before transferring to Iowa State University, where he received a 2-year Farm Operations Certificate. He immediately began farming the family farm with his father, Ernest and grandfather John.

He served 6 years in the United States Army Reserve out of Decorah while continuing his farming operation.

In 1983, he married Linda (Palmer) Spry at Washington Prairie Church. They were joined by her children, Jennifer and Christopher Spry. They continued to farm the Johnson Family farm in Springfield Township. They had a fine Holstein dairy herd, a cow-calf beef operation, and a farrow-to-finish hog operation. In 1999, they sold all livestock and raised only soybeans and corn.

This enabled them to spend the majority of their summers at their cabin on Big Mantrap Lake in Park Rapids, MN. They entertained many friends and relatives there. They were active in the Big Mantrap Lake Association and the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club. Gerry also helped with the loon nesting project and tested water clarity on the lake for the University of Minnesota.

Gerald was an active member and worker at Washington Prairie Church. Over the years, he had served as trustee, deacon, usher, and member of various committees. He was a 4-H leader for the Springfield Chore boys for many years and an active member in the Iowa Holstein Association. He also served on the Winneshiek County Extension Board.

Gerry was an avid fisherman. He also enjoyed hunting, bowling, and playing cards. He enjoyed nature, wild animals, and birds.

He is survived by his wife Linda, his stepchildren Jennifer Spry-Knutson (Tony Edwards), her children Kaylee (Javonte) Miller and Kole Knutson, and Christopher Spry (Kari Mensink), his children Codey Hayek, Cavan Spry, Dylan Spry, and Teigan Spry, and 4 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are his sister Myrna (Dobbin) McNatt, of Madison, WI. Sisters-in-laws Mary Ellen (Paul) Farley and Dorothy Palmer. Brothers-in-law James (Alice) Palmer, Harlan Palmer, Kevin Palmer (Shirley Phinney), and Dobbin McNaft, and several nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Stella Johnson, his brother, James Johnson, his in-laws: Viola and Clair Palmer, his sister – in laws Jan Johnson, Lois and Richard Matter, Diane Palmer, Sharon and Roman Hageman, and Daryl Palmer.