Michael Johnson

Michael C. "Mike" Johnson, age 34 of St. Joseph, Minnesota, died Wednesday, April 19, 2017 in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24, 2017 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose, Minnesota with Pastor Ruth Gangloff officiating. Interment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in Melrose.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose.

Michael Curtis Johnson was born May 26, 1982 in Brookings, South Dakota to Curtis and Jeanette (Burkard) Johnson. Mike was raised in Brookings, SD and moved to Plymouth, MN where he graduated from Armstrong High School in 2001. He continued his education at St. Cloud State University; graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Outdoor Education in 2006. Mike spent his college summers leading the boy scouts through the Boundary Waters and Quetico. After graduating from college, Mike moved to Utah for two years where he lead at-risk youth working for Second Nature. He returned to Minnesota and married Melissa Bertram, who he met in college, on June 13, 2009 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose. The couple resided in St. Joseph and was blessed with their son, Ethan in 2011.

Mike enjoyed being outdoors; canoeing, hiking, skiing, and camping. After his accident, he found his new passion in woodworking.

Survivors include his wife, Missy Johnson of St. Joseph; son, Ethan Johnson at home; parents, Curt and Ruth Johnson of Plymouth, mother and father-in-law, Carol and Romie Bertram of Melrose; grandmothers, Carol (Ed) Dock of Jasper, MN, Beverly Emmett of White, SD, and Celia Henkels of Heron Lake; sisters, Jody Johnson (Paola Gonzalez) of Minneapolis, Amy Johnson of St. Louis Park, and Ellie Johnson of Winona; brother-in-law, Ryan (Kelly) Bertram of Elrosa; nephews, Mateo and Leandro Gonzalez; nieces, Lucia Gonzalez and Brielle Bertram, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Mike was preceded in death by his mother, Jeanette (Burkard) Morris; and grandfathers, Carleton Johnson, James Burkard, and Greg Henkels.

Serving as casket bearers will be Nick Paulson, Dan Craig, Jon Fults, and Mike Leach.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. To donate, please visit
www.givemn.org/organization/Friends-Of-The-Boundary-Waters-Wilderness .