Victor Amundas Johnson

1922 - 2023

Mount Vernon - A proud native son of North Dakota, a child of God, and a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Victor Amundas Johnson left this world to join his Savior, his beloved wife, and ancestors in heaven on March 15, 2023.

The third of four sons born to John and Pauline Johnson in Amenia, North Dakota, on August 31, 1922, Victor cherished his North Dakota memories, especially playing his mellophone in the North Dakota State Band at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, he proudly served 42 months, including several in Occupied Berlin starting in May, 1945. When, in recent years, people would thank him for his service, like many of his generation, he would simply say, "It was what we did."

After WWII, he moved to San Francisco where his parents had earlier relocated to support the war effort. Beginning a life-time fan experience, he was at Kezar Stadium for the very first 49ers game in the fall of 1946! Later that year, he and his brother Walt went ice-skating, where they met Ann and Jane Hoke. Victor and Ann married in October, 1948 and shared wonderful years together.

Daughter Paula Ann and son David Earl completed the family.

While raising the family, with Ann a close companion, Victor progressed up the ranks at Libby, McNeil, and Libby, eventually becoming the head of the Production Planning Department for the Western Division. Ironically, in the early 1960s, he visited Mount Vernon's cold-storage plant, never knowing he'd eventually live in the Valley.

He left Libby in the early 1970s and was heavily involved with labor organizations in San Francisco until his retirement in the mid-1980s.

A devoted member of First Lutheran church in Palo Alto, California, Victor was a member of the church council and lay treasurer for 28 years, resigning his post only to move to Mount Vernon with Ann in April, 1987.

He and Ann quickly embraced the Skagit Valley, starting a KGO (Kids Growing Older) organization at First Lutheran in Mount Vernon, taking older residents on 27 expeditions around the PNW. While Ann was helping with the library, Vic was treasurer.

His full-time job became taking care of Ann when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2007, holding firm to the oath he had taken decades before to love and hold her "in sickness and in health." She died while he held her on October 16, 2012, their 64th anniversary.

Preceded in death by his parents and his three brothers and their wives, he is survived by daughter Paula Holmes (Ron Sytsma), son David (Cheri Whitlock-Johnson), granddaughters Brooke Holmes (Miles Nelligan), Bethany Holmes (Mike Kaib), and Lisa Ann Johnson (Axel Urie), and great-grandchildren Ian and Iris Kaib, Leif and Astrid Nelligan, as well as dozens of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

The family wishes to thank the entire staff at Mountain Glen Retirement Community for their loving care for so many years, as well as Hospice of the Northwest for their wonderful support in his final days.

Memorials are welcome at First Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon, or to the Victor Johnson Endowed Scholarship at Oak Grove Lutheran School, Fargo, ND.

Friends are invited to a Celebration of Life for Victor A. Johnson Saturday, April 15, at 1:00 pm at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2015 E. Blackburn, Mount Vernon.

You are invited to share your memories and condolences to Victor's family at www.kernfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kern Funeral Home.

Well done, good and faithful servant. Soli Deo Gloria!