Harold "Pete" Andrew Johnson

Harold “Pete” A. Johnson, 88, of Wakefield, Nebraska died on Thursday, November 08, 2012 at the Wakefield Health Care Center in Wakefield, Nebraska. Funeral services for Harold will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 2:30 P.M. at Salem Lutheran Church in Wakefield; Pastor Darwin Garton will be officiating. The visitation will be held on Monday from 3:00 until 8:00 P.M. at Salem Lutheran Church in Wakefield. The family will be present from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. on Monday evening. Burial with Military Honors by Wakefield American Legion Post #81 will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. Harold was born on December 8, 1923 in Wakefield, the son of S. Erik and Emma (Backstrom) Johnson. He was baptized on January 14, 1924 and later confirmed on November 27, 1938 at Salem Lutheran Church. Harold attended District 6 Pleasant Valley Country School near Wakefield and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1941. In 1944, Harold was drafted into the United States Navy. During his time in the Navy, he was aboard two ships as a gunner on the bridge of the U.S. Thomas Jefferson and the S.S. Sea Bass. He served time in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, crossing through the Panama Canal on two separate occasions. In 1946, he was discharged from the military. On June 29, 1947, Harold was united in marriage to Dolores Wheeler at the Allen United Methodist Church. The couple moved to Harold’s childhood farm, where they lived for the next 45 ½ years. After their retirement they moved into Wakefield, where he worked at the Fair Store. In April of 2009, Harold was honored chosen to travel to Washington D.C. for the Veterans Honor Flights. Harold was a lifelong member of Salem Lutheran Church where he served on church council. He also was on the county school board and a 4-H leader. He is survived by his wife Dolores, a son Ronald and his wife Melody Johnson of Denver, Colorado, daughter Michele and husband Clyde Long of Omaha, Nebraska, three grandsons: Kelly and wife Trish Johnson, Jason Long and Brandon Long, two great-granddaughters Ava and Anara Johnson, a sister Linnea Olson of Wakefield, Nebraska, a sister-in-law Donella Johnson of Wayne,, NE, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Pat and Lowell Nygren of Sioux City, Iowa, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. Harold was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Lewis, Ephraim, Amos and Ted.