Marion Ruth Johnston

Marion Ruth Crawmer Johnston, age 93 of Grafton, ND passed away on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at the University Physicians Hospital of Tucson, AZ. Marion Ruth Crawmer was born June 17, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois, the second child of parents, Haskell and Ruth (Wentzel) Crawmer. She was attending the University of Minnesota seeking a Masters degree in Industrial Management when she met her future husband over a bridge table. Marion married James Johnston on March 19, 1949 at the Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church in Minneapolis, MN and they made their home near Grafton, ND, having operated a potato, sugar beet, and wheat farm. They are parents of three sons, James Jr. (Linda), Grafton, ND; Scott (Vicki), Alexandria, MN; and Richard (Helena) Fargo, ND. Marion was very active in many organizations including the Federated Church Women, the Federated Church Youth Group, which she led with her husband for 10 years, Chapter X of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, she was Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star, ND Farm Bureau Women, serving as State President. She served the State of ND as a member of the Committee to update the State Constitution and was Chairperson of the Walsh County Cancer Drive for many years. She also washed her oldest sons' Grand Champion pig for the Walsh County Fair in 1963. She enjoyed spending time with her family, winters in Green Valley, AZ, her friends in ND and AZ, painting, playing bridge, and living by the motto that age is not a number, but merely a mindset that you get to pick'. Marion is survived and will be dearly missed by her husband of 62 years, James Sr., three sons, nine grandchildren: Jason Johnston, Bismarck, ND; Kevin and Brian (Alecia) Johnston, Fargo, ND; Julie (Nicholas) Williams, Clermont, FL; Shane (Sarah) Johnston and Kelly (Aaron) Bumgarner, Alexandria, MN; Megan (Joseph) Johnston Flanders, Cannon Falls, MN; Lindsay (Andrew) Holmgren and Ellen and her fiancé Zack Word St. Louis Park, MN; and eight and 2/3rds great grandchildren, Addison Johnston, Fargo, ND; Blake, Ella and Charlie Johnston, Cora and Carson Bumgarner all of Alexandria, MN; Benjamin Flanders, Cannon Falls, MN; Cohen Holmgren, St. Louis Park, MN. She is also survived by four sisters-in-law: Natalie Meier, Grand Forks, ND; Mary Ellen (Don) Heising, San Jose, CA; Ruby Crawmer, Peoria, IL; and Harriet Crawmer, Columbus, OH and many dearly loved nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Haskell and Ruth; step-mother, Ellen Crawmer; parents-in-law: Milton and Hazel Johnston; brothers: Duane, William and Donald Crawmer; sister Marguerite "Peg" Ebenreiter; sister-in-law Marian Crawmer; brothers-in-law: Robert Ebenreiter and Leroy Meier and nephew Theodore Ebenreiter. Memorial services will be Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. at the Federated Church of Grafton. Visitation will be Monday from 5-7 with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton. Friends may also call at the church on Tuesday for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at the Crescent Cemetery.