Coyote Sky Homestead

Grandma's Obituary

Esther Linnea Nelson Johnson died Dec. 24, 2006. . .

Born Nov. 29, 1908, in Bark River, eighth child of Swedish immigrants, John and Matilda (Gustafson) Nelson, Esther's childhood was spent on the Nelson family farm where she learned the value of hard labor and common sense.

When Esther was 18 months old, her father died of cancer, leaving his widow and children to run the farm.  At the age of seven, she was given the job of driving horse and wagon to the Bark River Creamery to deliver cream, a distance of three miles. 

She was fluent in the Swedish language, and discovered her life-long love of reading at an early age.

Esther attended school in the south Bark River area until the eighth grade.  Shortly after, Esther moved to Escanaba and in 1925, enrolled in the Cloverland Business College in Escanaba, graduating from there in 1926.

Her first employment was at Hemett Grocery in Escanaba as a bookkeeper.  She subsequently moved to her own apartment, purchased and drove a Ford Coupe with a rumble seat, one of the first young women to do so at that time. 

Esher was later employed at the Sawyer-Stoll Timber Co. in Escanaba as a stenographer from 1926 to 1933.

She was wed to C. Elmer Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Johnson, also Swedish immigrants, on Dec. 24, 1931, at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Signa and Elmer Carlson, of Bark River.  She wore a gown of brown silk crepe and carried sweetheart roses.  Elmer was employed at the Escanaba Dairy.  The couple made their home at 416 Ludington St.

In 1933, they moved back to the south Bark River area to raise a large family.  They ran a dairy farm, raised chickens for an egg route, and also supplemented their income with the sale of forest products until their retirement in 1972 when they moved back to Escanaba.

Elmer passed away of heart failure in Esther's arms on Aug. 13, 1975.  Esther was also preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Signa Carlson and Alice VanEnkevort; and by five brothers, Art, Ted, Edgar, Richard and Hilmer.

Esther's survivors include. . .

Untitled Comment

04:02, Tuesday, January 9, 2007 .. Posted by mc2rwe

I think that your grandmother had a beautiful obituary. I am so sorry for your loss. May the Lord wrap you in His arms and comfort you.

Kathy

your grandmother

02:47, Sunday, January 14, 2007 .. Posted by mccrjill

Thank you for posting her obituary - it is written very well - interesting to read. I guess you could say, like my mom who died 12/23/05 right before Christmas, that song: "I'm spending Christmas with Jesus this year" for your grandmother. My aunt wanted that poem read at her funeral and it was very nice. God bless. Jill