Our hero, Noral Warren Johnson, who had his 80th birthday on May 6th, passed away on May 9, 2011. He was born in 1931 to Elmer M. and Clarice (Smelser) Johnson.<\/p>\n
Dad attended Helena High School and then went on to graduate from Montana State College, earning his B.S. of Industrial Art in 1954.<\/p>\n
He married Shirley Jean Mergenthaler on June 27th, 1952 at the United Methodist Church in Helena. Together they raised four children, Tracy, Naomi, Russell and Andrea.<\/p>\n
Noral worked for his father during summer vacations from the age of 12 until being called to active duty in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as a 2nd Lt. with the 21st Eng. Battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado. Upon returning to Helena, he joined his father in the construction business. The business, Johnson Builders, Inc., continued until 1976. Noral then became a realtor for the next ten years. In 1986, Noral and Shirley moved to California where he became a superintendent in the construction business. After the California adventure, they were happy to return to Helena where Noral worked part-time during retirement. He especially enjoyed working at Costco as a food sampler and had quite a following there.<\/p>\n
Dad was involved in many community activities, including Helena J.C.\u2019s and was President in 1963. He helped with founding Jr. Achievement. He was a part of the Board of Directors for the Helena Chamber of Commerce in the mid-seventies. He was a member of the Helena Lion\u2019s Club, and a 50 year member of King Solomon\u2019s Lodge #9 AF&AM, Helena Scottish Rite Bodies and the Algeria Shrine, serving as the Recorder from 1996 to 2002. Dad was also and active member in the Belmont Ski Club beginning in 1947 until it became the Great Divide. He taught skiing to many children, became a national ski patrolman, and helped build the lodge which still has his front door. Skiing was his passion and he passed it on by teaching, coaching and driving kids countless miles to compete. He was on the ski team in college and did quite well as a jumper. He also loved to golf and played in many tournaments with his brother, Dick.<\/p>\n
He was also and avid Carroll College Saints fan and alma mater MSU Bobcat fan. He lived for Saturday Saints home games with Bob Pennington.<\/p>\n
Dad enjoyed hanging out with his crew drinking beer and telling lies on Tuesday night, playing poker every other week and going to the Red Room on Friday night with his Shriner friends.<\/p>\n
Dad built a swimming pool in the backyard and once told his son that it was, \u201cthe best money I ever spent.\u201d We all agree!<\/p>\n
Dad had a very busy social calender and loved life. He has left a huge hole in our lives.<\/p>\n
He was preceded in death by his parents, Al and Clarice; his wife, Shirley and his son-in-law, Lyle. He is survived by his brother, Richard (Susan) Johnson of West Valley City, UT; and by his children, Tracy (David) Mabry, Nonie (Timm) Goettel, Rusty Johnson, and Andy (Mike) Knoles. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Cory (Dan Hickey) and Deana Mabry, Jake (Kelsi) Dolezal, Matt (Andrea) Dolezal, Clinton Johnson, Nicki and Kody Goettel, and Kira, Lacey and Rubi Knoles; five great-grandchildren that he adored; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; and the whole JAKL clan.<\/p>\n
Thanks to all of the wonderful caregivers at the VA hospital and St. Peter\u2019s that have helped Dad through the last few years.<\/p>\n
A visitation will be 1:00 p.m. and the family will begin receiving friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, May 12 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. A funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 13 at St. John\u2019s Lutheran Church with Military and Masonic Honors to follow at Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. Please join the family and friends for a reception to follow the burial service at the church. If you would like to send a memorial, please send it to the Transportation Fund, c\/o Algeria Shrine, P.O. Box 1174, Helena, MT 59624. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.aswfuneralhome.com.<\/p>\n","photo":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/375684_profile_pic.png","youtube_video_url":"","family_email":"","family_first_name":"","family_last_name":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case\/823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/case"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}