Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271837
Title: Lila J. Johnson
Date: 6/23/1943-11/4/2020
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 6/23/1943
Summary: Lila June Johnson of Williston, ND, went to her home in heaven on Wednesday, November 4th, peacefully surrounded by her beloved family. Her funeral service was held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at the New Hope Wesleyan Church in Williston.  Rev. Mike Skor officiated; her service was livestreamed on Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home Facebook page. Following the funeral service, cremation took place and interment was in Eagle Cemetery in Christine, North Dakota, at a later date. Lila was born June 23, 1943, to Arthur and Esther (Danielson) Blilie in Moorhead, MN.  She grew up on the family’s farm near Comstock, MN.  She attended school in Comstock until the school closed, and then attended and graduated from Barnesville High School. She married Paul Johnson, on May 7, 1964, at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, MN. Paul and Lila lived in Wolverton and Moorhead, MN, in the early years of their marriage. Later they moved to Devils Lake and then Williston where they made their home since 1973.  Lila worked for Northwestern Bell in Fargo for several years and later at Mercy Medical Center in Williston for 36 years as a Medicare billing clerk. She and Paul raised two children, Denise and Steve. Their granddaughter, Dana, also lived with them during her middle and high school years. Lila and Paul most recently attended New Hope Church in Williston. They also attended Calvary Baptist, Liberty Evangelical Free and First Baptist Churches over the years.  Lila loved Jesus. She lived out her deep faith in her daily life. She was typically up before her family and could be found in the living room reading her Bible and praying for those she loved. She was a woman of deep conviction. She enjoyed attending Bible studies, Christian Women’s Club, and cherished the friendships that she made in doing so.  Lila loved her family dearly. She loved long phone conversations with her sisters. She demonstrated her love for her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids by knowing and preparing their favorite foods and treats.  No-bake cookies, Scotcharoos, doughnuts, English toffee bars, apple strudel bites, spaghetti hot dish, and baked beans were often awaiting them when they arrived for a visit. Her cozy home was always a welcoming place with favorite toys, good food, Curious George and Corduroy Bear books, winks across the dinner table, and an occasional Easter egg hunt.  In the later stages of her disease, her deep love for Paul became increasingly evident to everyone, as her face lit up every time he entered the room.  Lila enjoyed spending time reading, visiting with friends, baking, taking long drives with Paul in the country, trips to Fargo to visit family, attending the Medora Musical with her great-granddaughters, and having Dairy Queen treats, Snicker bars, and maple nut ice cream. Every baby born to family and friends received her signature gift of a thermal weave blanket. She had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved unconditionally. Lila is survived and will be deeply missed by her beloved husband, Paul; children, Denise (Gerard) Hanson and Steve (Tiffany) Johnson of Waconia, MN; grandchildren, Dana (Lance) Melby of Williston, Jordan and Miles Hanson, Erick and Hunter Johnson; great-grandchildren, Ashley, Hayley, Camryn and Dawson Melby; brother, Floyd Blilie of Moorhead, MN; sisters, Evelyn Ommodt of Fargo, ND, Lucille (Dave) Edlund of New Brighton, MN, Virginia (Ray) Johnson of Moorhead, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Esther Blilie; and brothers, Kenneth Blilie and Melvin Blilie.
Red ID: FND_I_79332 Image ID: 537999 Image Notes: FND001 271837

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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