Babe Gorter Johnson

According to Jesus, angels accompany the soul of the deceased to paradise. Our beautiful, brave, strong Mom was accompanied by angels to paradise on October 30, 2025.

Albertha “Babe” Halma Gorter Johnson was born near Ireton, Iowa on April 2, 1930 to Harry and Hilda (Miedema) Halma. Babe was born into a large family with 7 brothers and 2 sisters. She was the only one to graduate from Inwood High School, although several siblings did achieve their GED. Babe grew up knowing the value of hard work. She saw many changes in her life. She remembers getting their first refrigerator and the installer leaving a beer in it for her husband. She saw that as well as the computer age and the changes it brought with it. Babe met her first husband, Lawrence Gorter, at a Young People’s gathering for church. They were married on November 11, 1948, and lived on farms in southwest Minnesota. They were the proud parents of Leroy, Cheryl, and Randy.

At an age when most wives did not work outside the home, Babe was a pioneer in working first at Feckers Chicken Factory in Pipestone, then at Hyde Oil and DeVine Oil Companies as the secretary and bookkeeper. In 1967, Lawrence and Babe founded Gorter’s Clay and Dairy in Pipestone and eventually added sons Leroy, Randy, and a valued employee, Rusty Hartke, as partners. Their hard work and dedication to the farm and dairy industry proved to be a notable success.

Sadly, Lawrence passed away at age 62. Babe continued to live outside of Pipestone until marrying Russell Johnson of Alcester, SD in November, 1993. Babe moved to Alcester and made many friends, and was active in the Red Hat Society. Russ and Babe enjoyed camping and spending winters in Texas. Russ passed away in July, 2003 and she continued living there until July, 2013 when she moved to Spearfish, SD to be closer to her daughter.

Babe moved to an apartment in Edgewood Vista Assisted Living in July, 2013 with her little dog, Mickey and was active in many activities, including bingo (she was very competitive), bunko, cards, and jewelry making. Sadly, Mickey passed but another precious pooch entered her life, and Maisy was her constant companion until her passing in 2024.

Babe valued her family most of all. She enjoyed family gatherings and loved babies and little children. She got dressed up, along with full makeup and jewelry every day while at Edgewood. Her favorite hobby was shopping, and she loved the Jewelry Channel! She was a class act! She loved ice cream and was an avid collector of dolls.

Babe is survived by her children, Leroy (Sue Toering), Cheryl Lind, Randy (Janelle); nine grandchildren, Lee (Lisa) Gorter, Jodi Gorter, Cory (MaryBeth) Gorter, Cody (Janet) Lind, Elizabeth (Jake) Wright, Robert (Maggie) Gorter, Benjamin (Kristen) Gorter, Joshua (Cynthia) Gorter, and Theodore (Dannie Eslick) Gorter; great-grandchildren, Scott (Chelsey) Gorter, Sarah Gorter, Valerie Lind Hochstein (Peyton), Oliver Gorter, Ayden Morris, Wyatt Gorter, Rory Gorter, Tom Rambow (Shannon), Jocelyn Wright, and Leighton Wright; one great-great-grandchild, Archer Gorter; step-children, Carolyn (Kent) Hongslo and Shirley (Brad) Kleinhans; step-grandchildren; and many step-great-grandchildren; sister, Rena Canniegter; and sisters-in-law, Betty Gorter, June Gorter and Anna Halma.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Lawrence W. Gorter and Russell Johnson; brothers, George, Charles, Martin, Roger, John, Clarence, and Sam; sister, Frieda Veldkamp; sisters-in-law, Cora (Gorter) Van Surksum, Connie Gorter, EllaMae Halma, Judy Halma, June Halma, Ruth Halma, Alice Halma, and Connie Halma; brothers-in-law, Bert Veldkamp, Don Cannegieter, Ardell Gorter, Andrew Gorter, and Leonard Gorter; son-in-law, Greg Lind; and grandson, Colton Lind.