Janice "Jan" Johnston

Janice “Jan” Linda Johnston, age 69, of Warren, MN, passed away peacefully with family at her side, September 26th, 2021, in Carris Health Rice Memorial Hospital, Willmar, MN.

Jan was born December 2, 1951 in Mankato, MN to Merlin and Lita (Kopke) Schonrock. She grew up on the family farm in rural Blue Earth County and attended public school at Waldorf-Pemberton High School, graduating in 1970. She then went on to college at the University of Minnesota Crookston where she met her future husband, James Herbert Johnston. The couple was married on June 8th of 1974, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, in St. Clair, MN.

The two made their home in Warren, MN with their two children Jami and Josh. Over the years, Jan worked at different jobs in the community, until finding her career working at the Marshall County Courthouse in the court systems. Jan worked her way up and was appointed as Court Administrator for Marshall County and later toward the end of her career also adding Pennington County. She had a real pride for her job and enjoyed going to work every day.

Jan loved her immediate and extended family and especially enjoyed spending time with her four grandchildren. She also loved to spend time in her flower beds and vegetable garden. She loved cooking, baking, sewing, canning, and traveling with her family and friends. Some of her fondest memories were times spent wintering in Florida and her various trips throughout the years to Europe, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii. In her younger years, she was very active and enjoyed 4H softball, golfing, bowling, and fishing. Her hands were rarely still.

Jan was a strong, dependable, and hardworking individual. She dedicated other parts of her life to being active in the community. She was an active member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church as a past church council member, a part of the women’s WELCA group, and a Sunday school teacher. She was a member of the GFWC Warren Women’s Club, and she never missed a school activity that her children participated in. Jan also took on the roles of North Valley Health Center board member and president of the board, helping to facilitate the building of the new hospital. She loved the hospital and all the great employees that she had interactions with as a board member and later as a patient.

Jan is survived by her husband, James Johnston; daughter, Jami (Anthony Bolton) Aubol; son, Joshua (Rachel) Johnston; grandchildren, Josie Johnston, Ruby Aubol, Ian Johnston, Aiden Johnston; sister, Marlys Nelson; brothers-and-sisters-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.
All of these she loved and touched deeply.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, Stanley and MaryAnn; and her brother-in-law, Larry Nelson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to North Valley Health Center, Warren, MN.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Saturday, October 2, 2021, at 2:00 PM, in our Savior's Lutheran Church, Warren, MN.
VISITATION: Friday, October 1, from 4:30 - 6:30 PM, in Our Savior's, Warren; and one hour prior to the Funeral on Saturday.
INTERMENT: Greenwood Cemetery, Warren, MN.