Walter G. Johnson, age 98, of Shakopee, Minn., passed away on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021.

Walter was born in Mount Sterling, Wis., on July 7, 1923, the son of Thomas and Clara (Quamme) Johnson. He met Marilyn (Pries) Johnson ‘46 at Luther College. On Sept. 4, 1949, they were married in Chicago.

At Luther, Walter was both a student and an athlete, competing on the basketball and track teams. Following his graduation, in 1946, he attended Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. He was ordained in 1950.

As a pastor, Walter was blessed to serve congregations in South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota. After retirement, he served as an interim pastor at several churches around the country. He was a pastor for nearly 70 years, serving the Lord faithfully throughout his life. He loved ministering to his congregations and especially enjoyed working with church youth, leading Bible camps and youth group trips, often happily filling the role as the trip bus driver.

Walter was proud of his Norwegian heritage, enjoyed fishing and camping, and was a certified water safety instructor. In his retirement years, he and Marilyn hosted numerous tours to Europe and the Holy Land. He was eternally optimistic and optimistic about his eternity. He always looked for the good in people. Those who knew him were blessed by the hope and encouragement he shared with them.

Walter is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Pries) Johnson ‘46; four sons, Mark (Cindy), Gregory, Reverend David (Vicki), and Stephen (Julie); 17 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert; sister, Clarice (Johnson) Schaller ‘46, daughter-in-law, Becky Johnson.

The funeral was held Nov. 27 at King of Glory Church in Shakopee, Minn. Internment was at the Lands Church Cemetery in Zumbrota, Minn. To view a recording of the service, please visit the the McNearny-Schmidt Funeral Home website.

Memorial donations may be made to Wilderness Fellowship or The Orality Institute. Condolences may be shared at www.mcnearneyfuneralhome.com