Corrine Lena Johnson

Corrine Lena (Bierman) Johnson, 92, died November 12, 2023, at the Fountains of Hilltop in Grand Junction, Colorado. She was under Hospice care and died from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. Cremation has taken place, and she is resting in a beautiful urn made by family friend, Larry Weniger. A family celebration of life will be held at a later date.

She was born December 11, 1930, in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to George O. and Ann C. (Borchard) Bierman.  She was raised on the family farm near Mansfield, SD, where she attended a small one-room country school. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mansfield and was a lifelong Lutheran. The family moved from the farm to Northville in 1946. Corrine studied music at Northern State College while still in high school, graduating from Northville High School with the Class of 1948. On July 22, 1948, she married Maurice “Douglas” Johnson at the Church of Our Savior in Aberdeen, SD.  They made Northville their home until moving to Huron in 1954 with their two children in tow. Corrine actively participated in her children’s lives while working in various office positions. They resided in Huron except for a brief move to Edgeley, North Dakota, in 1960-61, where they tried their hands at running a grocery store. In 1969, Corrine and Doug moved from Huron to Fort Collins, CO. Corrine worked briefly in a law office before accepting a position in the Housing Department at Colorado State University.  She transferred to the Natural Resource Ecology Lab in 1970 and, in July 1983, to the College of Forestry and Natural Resources as Assistant to the Dean, from where she retired. Doug and Corrine spent many years as “snowbirds” living the dream in Caliente Casa de Sol near Florence, AZ where many a “happy hour” was spent with relatives and friends, both old and new. Their summer months were between Grand Junction, CO, and Friday Harbor, WA, visiting friends and relatives while traveling. Corrine loved to share her musical talents, play cards, camp, and travel. Her smile and laughter were larger than life. Her passions were her Lord and Savior, family, and treasured friends. Corrine truly never met a stranger. She was a woman of great faith and an example of what it looks like to love unconditionally. 

Corrine is survived by her husband, M. Douglas Johnson, her son, Kerwin (Margaret Wider) Johnson, Friday Harbor, Washington and daughter Lynette (Lance) Balding, Grand Junction, Colorado; brother-in-law, Doyle (June) Johnson, Florence, Arizona; grandchildren Landon (Jackie) Balding, Grand Junction, Colorado, Ben (Bahbe) Johnson, Lake Stevens, Washington and Vanessa Johnson, Friday Harbor Washington, many great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, several special nieces, nephews and their families, cousins, and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, George Gary Bierman, sister Joyce C. Monlux, and grandson Matthew K. Johnson.

A sincere thank you to all her caregivers at The Fountains and the HopeWest hospice care team. Memorials can be made to Messiah Lutheran Church or Hopewest of Grand Junction.