JOHNSON, Hubert A.

WAKEFIELD – Hubert A. Johnson, 88, of Wakefield died on Nov. 7 at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Johnson was born on Oct. 23, 1924 to Aldor and Maggie (Ehresman) Johnson in Wakefield. He was baptized on July 5, 1931 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Emerson and in 1962, was confirmed and entered the family church in Malmo. He attended country school at District 6 near Thurston and graduated from Thurston High School in 1942. After school he entered the United States Army. He received the Purple Heart in December of 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge. After his time in the service he returned to Wakefield where he worked at the Fair Store. He later attended Refrigeration School in Omaha in 1949. On May 10, 1954, He began a long career with the Nebraska Department of Roads as a Carrier Enforcement Officer, retiring on Feb. 25, 1992. He married Virginia Otto Nelson on April 15, 1964 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Davey. He was a member of the Wakefield American Legion Post 81 since 1947, Veterans of Foreign Wars member since 1946, and was a member of the P.O.L.K.A Lovers Association of American. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Ernest; three half-brothers, LeRoy, Don and Earl; a sister, Lynn; and two half-sisters, Esther and Margaret. He is survived by his wife; step children and spouses, Steven Nelson of Wayne, Valorie and Charles Hamar of Wahoo and Cheryl and Arlen Deines of Ravenna; eight step grandchildren and three step great-grandchildren; a sister and spouse, Louise and Melvin Rihanek of Aurora, Colo. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Salem Lutheran Church in Wakefield with Pastor Darwin Garton officiating. Burial will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted by the Wakefield American Legion Post 81. Visitation will be held on Monday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Bressler – Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home of Wakefield.