Janice Johnson

Janice (Mrs. Gordon) Johnson, age 92, of Milbank, SD, passed away on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Avantara – Milbank Nursing Home under hospice care.

Memorial services will be held on May 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at Mundwiler Funeral home in Milbank. Rev. Melanie Reiners will officiate. Burial will be at Milbank Cemetery following the service. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Music solo provided by Bryon Dahle, Janice’s grandson.

Honorary casket bearers will be Grant County VFW Post 3486 Ladies Auxiliary, Caregivers at Wellshire Park Place and Avantara - Milbank, and all of her friends and family. Active pallbearers will be Anthony Dahle, Jeremy Johnson, Jeffery Haufschild, Alexis Gonzalez, Jordan Gonzalez, and Darian Dahle. 

The service will be live streamed and recorded and will be viewable at the bottom of this page.

Janice Jeanne (Johannsen) Johnson was born April 5, 1931, in Big Stone County, MN. She was the daughter of Edward and Mary (Sorenson) Johannsen. She grew up in Wilmot, SD. She was confirmed at Wilmot Lutheran Church. She graduated from Wilmot High School.

She earned a Teaching Certificate from Northern State College in Aberdeen, SD. Janice taught elementary school in rural South Dakota near Wilmot for several years.

She was united in marriage with Gordon E. Johnson on June 28, 1950, in Milbank, SD. Janice and Gordon had two children: Patricia and John. They lived in rural Roberts County, SD, until 1963, when they moved to Milbank. After moving to Milbank, Janice worked at Milbank Insurance/Royal Insurance for over 20 years prior to retiring.  Janice was a member of the Grant County VFW Post 3486 Ladies Auxiliary for 51 years.

Janice enjoyed gardening and flowers, cooking, reading, and spending time with her grandkids.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Patricia (Allen) Dahle of Watertown, SD; daughter-in-law, Brenda Holtquist of Milbank, SD; half-sister, Darva Rye of Gillette, WY; seven grandchildren: Bryon, Angie, Janelle, Tony, Shannen, Jeremy, and Dustin; 20 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Janice leaves us to be with the Lord; her parents; son, John; husband, Gordon; and her sister, Rita.