22 Feb Gregory “Greg” Johnson
Gregory L. Johnson, 72, Bismarck, passed away peacefully with his family at his bedside on February 20, 2023. Prayers & Celebration of Greg’s life will be held on Monday, February 27, 2023, from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at Bismarck Funeral Home, 3723 Lockport St. Bismarck. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 11:00 am at the Inspire Family Fellowship Church, 523 N 21st St., Bismarck. The service will be livestreamed on Greg’s page on the Bismarck Funeral Home website. Burial will be held at a springtime service at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan.
Greg was born on November 21, 1950, to Gerald L. & Lorraine (Granland) Johnson in Wahpeton, ND. Greg attended school from grades K-12. He later attended college at NDSCS, graduating and achieving Liberal Arts and Civil Engineering degrees.
Greg was drafted into the United States Army and served his country proudly in Germany during the Vietnam war. Following he continued his service in the National Guard unit in Wahpeton, ND. Greg loved his country and proudly served.
In 1973, he married his wife, Gloria. They had two children, Jennifer and Jesse.
Greg began his career as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor in 1974, working for McKegan firm in Grand Forks, ND. He later moved to Sidney, MT to work for Interstate Engineering. In 1988 he accepted a position at Ducks Unlimited in Bismarck, ND. This was his “Dream Job”, as he enjoyed fulfilling many adventures & successes to surveying in the outdoors, restoring wetlands & wildlife habitat. The DU staff became a second family to Greg with many adventures outside the office. He became known as the “Chief”, and respectfully strived to meet challenges and expectations to this role.
After retirement, he continued a small Land Surveying business and was a proud member of the North Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors.
Greg’s favorite place to be was at his lake home in Van Hook on beautiful Lake Sakakawea. He enjoyed landing a big walleye and would often say he had to go fishing so he could provide for his family. Along with being at the lake there’s nothing more that he enjoyed than putting up a goose spread on the mighty Missouri River sandbars and wait for the great flock to come fly over. These were all times when he was happiest.
Greg is survived by his wife, daughter Jennifer LaVallie (Philip), son Jesse Johnson (Suzie), and grandchildren, Krew Mathern (Kierra Schneider), Kolden Johnson, Joran “Tootsie” Johnson, and Gunner LaVallie. He leaves behind one brother, Dale (Geri) Johnson. He was preceded in death by his parents Gerald L. & Lorraine (Granland) and his brother Joel.
Gloria and family, We are so very sorry for your loss. Greg was a great person and a excellent Surveyor. He was always willing to listen and help others. Extremely knowledgeable with the many aspects of surveying. He will be missed by many.
Cheryl and I want to express our deepest condolences to your family on Gregs passing. Greg was a good friend of mine during our years working together at KBM. He was a great surveyor with a fun personality, and although we didn’t often run into each other very often after he moved to another firm, he made a lasting impression on me that I always cherished. What a special guy he was, I’ll never forget him. Everett Severinson.
Uncle Greg you will be forever missed. My deepest condolences are with you Gloria and the family.
A real shocker, didn’t know he was ill. Greg will be missed, he made a lot of contributions within the North Dakota Society of Land Surveyors. A Good Man.
Many good times with Greg, he was always fun to be around. We will miss him. Curtis Glasoe
My sincerest condolences and blessings to everyone who knew Greg. I knew him only in the professional context, but my interaction with him was enough to make it clear that he was a truly outstanding man and a model of professionalism. As a past recipient of the North Dakota Survey Excellence award, I encourage my professional colleagues in North Dakota to consider dedicating that award to his memory, by renaming it the Greg Johnson Memorial Survey Excellence award.
The Tom Pope family is thinking of you, Gloria and family.
We are so sorry for your loss. Tom was part of this DU ‘second family’…a group that ‘first family’ members would lovingly refer to as the ‘secret society’. As with all fraternal clubs, this one had rights of initiation, nicknames, routine meetings, retreats, and of course more inside jokes than one can count!
Greg was so many things to so many people. That is clear by the stories that will be shared of his life in the coming weeks and his wonderfully written obituary. To our family, Greg will be remembered as a great friend, professional mentor, and gentle giant who seemed, many times, to be a larger than life leader-of-men (not everyone gets bestowed the name of ‘Chief’).
Life is, in part, measured by great stories, life-long friends, and the love of family. Greg excelled in each of these and will be missed. We are thinking of you this week from afar.
Our sympathies,
Marilyn, Steven and Adam Pope
Paul & Susan want to express our deepest sympathy to your family. Greg was a great guy to work with on DU Conservation projects. We also had some great hunting and fishing together! Our thoughts and prayers are with you. God bless your family! Paul & Susan Bultsma
Gloria and all family: I am sending my deepest sympathy. I am so sorry for Greg
s passing. He was a Special nephew to me.I will miss him very much--especially around his birthday and Christmas our corresponding back and forth. So sorry I cant attend his funeral, but I will be watching on live streaming.My prayers and thoughts are with you all. God Bless.gloria
My Deepest Sympathy Gloria and family. Remembering the great times we had at KBM, canoeing on the Crow Wing River with Jenny Johnson from Thompson was so cute. One of Greg’s favorite saying was “I wonder what the poor people are doing?” as we all had good time together. Take care you are in my prayers at this sad time. Bonnie Netterlund
Laura Schwan