Rolland "Rolly" Johnson

Memorials may be directed to Gideons International, First Baptist Church in Marshall, or Prairie Home Hospice in Marshall.

Rolland “Rolly” Eugene Johnson was born on November 30, 1941 to Harry and Agnes (Larsen) Johnson in Tyler, Minnesota. He came home from the hospital on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor and was raised on the family farm north of Tyler. He accepted Christ as his Savior at age five and attended the Baptist Church in town. At the age 15, he bought his first milking shorthorn cow. He was an active FFA member in high school and served as a regional President and a state Vice-President. Rolly graduated high school in 1959. On February 1, 1964, he was united in marriage to Evelyn Ruth Stearns at First Baptist Church in Luverne, Minnesota. The couple lived on the family farm and raised their family while running the crop and dairy cow operation. Rolly officially retired in 2009. They lived on the home place for 78 years, before moving to Boulder Estates in Marshall, Minnesota in 2023. In 2011, Rolly courageously fought and won his battle with colorectal cancer, giving him several more years to enjoy life with his family and friends.

Rolly was a member of First Baptist Church in Marshall. He was a former member of First Baptist Church in Tyler, serving as a deacon, Sunday school superintendent, song leader and a former member of First Baptist Church in Lake Benton, Minnesota, serving as a deacon and treasurer. In 2009, he became a member of the Gideons. Rolly was member of the Lincoln County Farm Bureau, serving as President, the Lincoln County Fair Board, the Minnesota Milking Shorthorn Association, serving as secretary, treasurer and president, and the American Milking Shorthorn Society, serving nine years on the national board of directors. He received recognition in 2011 as AMSS Citizen of the Year and the 1984 PDCA Distinguished Breeder.

Rolly enjoyed gardening, puzzles, playing rook and traveling to Florida. He loved red white and roans and showed at county and state fairs and the World Dairy Expo. He found joy in singing in the Boulder Estate choir. Rolly had many traits, including complete honesty, in all situations, the ability to forgive anything, having grace in every situation, and finding the good in every person and situation.

On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Rolly went to be with his Lord while at the Lockwood Hospice House in Marshall, surrounded by his family. Rolly is lovingly survived by his wife, Ruth; Rita Ennen of Dickinson, North Dakota, Bradley (Tracy) Johnson of Marshall, Rodney (Tammy) Johnson of Hawley, Minnesota, and Ann Johnson of Marshall; 14 grandchildren, Charlie (Aaron) Leftridge, Amanda Leftridge, Holly Leftridge, Erin Jacobs, Joshua Stewart, Justin Stewart, Jarrod (Jessica) Stewart, Jacob Stewart, Jeremiah Johnson, Rebekah Johnson, Raymond (Keri) Johnson, Rolland (Kaitlin) Johnson, Joseph (Mileydi) Johnson, and Jacob (Irania) Johnson; and 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Audrey Sollie and Carol Matheny, both of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Nola Olsen; two brothers-in-law, Ronald Sollie and Terry Matheny; and sister-in-law, Carol Seumalo.