Shirley Johnson

Minot

Shirley G. Johnson, 92, Minot, died Sunday, February 23, 2025 in a Minot nursing home.

Shirley Grace Seter was born on September 6, 1932, a daughter of Carl and Mina (Bakkom) Seter in Bottineau, ND. She was raised and educated in Carbury, ND until 8th grade when she was sent to Newburg ND for high school. There she played ½ court women’s basketball and graduated in 1950. Shirley furthered her education by attending Minot State Model School, where she earned her Standard Teaching Certificate. She later earned her Master’s Degree in Education from UND.

On August 4, 1957, Shirley was united in marriage to Gordon S. Johnson at the Turtle Mountain Lutheran Church in Carbury, ND. They had met in Sherwood, ND, where Shirley worked as a teacher at the Sherwood Public School and Gordon’s mother, Verna, was the cook. From 1959 -1963, they lived in Oregon, where she also was an educator.

In 1963, the family returned to North Dakota, settling in Minot. Shirley worked within the Minot Public School System, teaching at Roosevelt, Lincoln, Bel-Air and North Hill Schools, and had Mckinley students during the flood in 1969. Shirley retired June 1, 1991. Gordon passed away on November 13, 1997.

Shirley was an avid reader, enjoyed traveling and spending hours and hours learning at museums. She was always very active in each school she taught at, especially the PTO organizations. Shirley was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Minot.

She is survived by:

Children: Jane (Jeffrey) Spohn; Dayna G. Johnson, four grandchildren: Amber (PJ) Woiwode and their children Dontae, Brody and Kason; Crystal Johnson and her Children Isaiah and Nora, daughters of Linda Glessing, Stephanie (Josh) Ell; Cassadie (Nick) Ell, Daughters of Ralph Ell; siblings: Art Seter, Marcia Foss, Margaret Budd; several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, husband Gordon, siblings Marvin, John, Lester, Claire, Gordon, Calvin, Lynn, Gretchen, Vivian and an infant brother Paul, infant grandson Brandon Jones-Johnson.

A celebration of Shirley’s life will take place on Monday, March 24, 2024 at 11 am at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home Chapel, Minot. The service be livestreamed and may be accessed at Shirley’s page at www.thompsonlarson.com

Burial: will take place in the late summer of 2025 at the Turtle Mountain Church Cemetery, Carbury, ND

In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Shirley’s honor to educational funding of donor’s choice.

Published by The Minot Daily News, March 19, 2025.