Kenneth R. Johnson, age 82, of New Ulm passed to his eternal home on December 7, 2024, at Sleepy Eye Rehabilitation Center.

The Celebration of Life will be held at 11 am on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in New Ulm with Pastor Kathleen Ulland-Klinkner officiating. Visitation will be held from 9-11 am on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in New Ulm. The New Ulm Area Comrades of Valor Honor Guard will provide full military honors. Burial will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.

Kenneth is survived by his wife, Janet; daughters, Karla (Nathan) Johnson of Alexandria, Minnesota, and Kera (Michael) Haugen of Windom, Minnesota; sons, Dane (Justine) of Murray, Utah, Kevin Johnson of New Ulm; grandchildren, Zach (Becky), Mitchell (Jake), Wyatt, Wriley, Reagan Hannah (Nic), Emily (Aaron), Jonah (Natasha), Zoe (Brendon); great-grandchildren, Onyx, Rhiannon, Isla, Nora, Hendrix, Charley, Aurora; brothers, Allan (Sandra) Johnson of Cody, Wyoming, and Robert Johnson of Trimont, Minnesota.

Kenneth is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Lucille (Nawrocki) Johnson; son, Kelly Darrin; and brother, Larry Johnson.

On November 22, 1960, Ken married his high school sweetheart Jan at First Lutheran Church, Trimont, Minnesota. After marriage, Ken joined the Air Force, and the couple first resided in Wichita Falls, Texas, after his basic and advanced training. They moved to Mountain Home, Idaho. Kenneth was honorably discharged on October 1, 1965, and the couple moved to Jackson, Minnesota, where he was employed at Hample's as a refrigeration and air conditioning technician while Jan took care of their children and worked at The Good Samaritan Home. Kenneth joined the Army National Guard in Jackson 1973, as a part-time soldier. In 1983 he enlisted in New Ulm as an AGR (Active Guard Reserve) soldier. The family followed in 1984. Kenneth worked in the New Ulm National Guard Armory until he retired from the military on June 1, 1998. Later, he was hired as the manager for the temporary housing program after the devastating tornado in March of 1998. Kenneth was also a fire safety inspector and custodian at local churches.