Obituaries 9 September 2025

Darel Johnson, 89, Owatonna

Darel Johnson, 89, Owatonna, obituary

Darel Jay Johnson, 89, of Owatonna, passed away peacefully on Sept. 7, 2025, at Benedictine in Owatonna, surrounded by family.

Darel was born on April 9, 1936, in Blooming Prairie, to Raymond and Helen (Ellis) Johnson. He attended school in Blooming Prairie and began working on the family farm at a young age. He voluntarily joined the U.S. Navy in 1956 and proudly served his country.

Immediately following his service in the Navy, Darel married his high school sweetheart, Betty Ebenhoh on May 18, 1958. They shared over 67 years together, working hard, taking care of their hobby farm, and raising a family of four children.

Darel dedicated much of his life to plumbing and taking care of his hobby farm. Outside of that, his passion was all about John Deere tractors. He collected them, restored them, bought and sold them, and spent many summers competing in tractor pulls all over the Midwest. In his downtime, there was nothing he loved more than a shot of E & J Brandy and telling stories of his time and many adventures with the Navy.

Darel was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Helen Johnson; children born silent Noel, Scott, and Jamie; and brothers Roger, Larry, and Richard Johnson.

Darel is survived by his wife Betty; children Rodney Johnson, Robin (Terry) Ouellette, Jodi (Brad) Schuster, and Joni (Mike) de Werd; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and sisters Carol (Donnie) Ingvaldson, Linda Kath, and Sue Schmidt.

The family wishes to express sincere gratitude to the staff of Benedictine Living Community and St. Croix Hospice for their kindness, compassion, and care they provided Darel and his family.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at Brick-Meger Funeral Home, 1603 Austin Road, Owatonna. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery with Military Honors provided by the Steele County Funeral Unit.

For more information or to leave an online message of condolence, go to www.megercares.com.