Gerele E. Johnson

Gerele E. Johnson, 63, of Wakefield, Nebraska died on Saturday, May 13, 2017 as the result of a farm accident near Wakefield, NE.  Funeral services for Gerele will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Cornerstone World Outreach Church in Sioux City, IA.  A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Bressler – Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield.  Burial with Military Honors will be in the Wakefield Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.  Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.  Bressler – Munderloh –Smith Funeral Home of Wakefield is in charge of the arrangements. Gerele was born on June 12, 1953, in Wakefield, NE, the son of Ephraim S. and Leona C. (Peters) Johnson in Wakefield, NE.  He graduated from Wakefield High School in 1971.  After graduation he went to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Fingerprint Technician in Washington D.C.  On April 8, 1974, he entered the United States Army.  On January 14, 1975 he was united in marriage to Ruth Smidt in Fremont, NE.  The couple moved to Hawaii, where Gerele was serving in the Army.  After leaving the U.S. Army in 1977, the couple made their Home on the Johnson family farm, where he farmed until his death.  Gerele was also a master welder and fabricator and has worked for the past 12 years with Emerson Manufacturing in Pender, NE.  Gerele enjoyed the time he spent gardening, fishing and playing pinochle.  He also liked to read and watch westerns, but most of all he loved the time he was able to spend with his family. He is survived by his wife, Ruth of Wakefield, NE, daughters, Heidi (Josh) Meyers of Wakefield, NE, Amy Johnson of Franklin, ME, Renee Sanchez of Ft. Worth, TX, Keli (Tomas) Gonzalez of Sioux City, IA, Alisha (John) Ludemann of Norfolk, NE, Sofia (Jesus) Reyes of Hartington, NE and Erin (Ben) Crosthwaite of Durham, NC.  He is also survived by his sisters Jean Ping of Wayne, NE and Laurie (Carey) Rhods of Wakefield, NE and fourteen grandchildren, Brandon Meyers, Fabian and Vincent Sanchez, Harley, Simon, Danica and Timothy Gonzalez, Elijah and Olivia Ludemann and Gabriel, Elena, Carter, Levi and Noah Reyes.  Gerele was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter Franchesca Johnson, sister Karen (Johnson) Rogers and an infant brother, David Johnson.