Dolores Johnson

Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026 at Palo Congregational Church with Pastor Terry Sonnentag officiating. Friends and family may gather one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in the Rauha Cemetery in Palo. Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora.

Dolores Marion Johnson, 89, of Palo died Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Essentia Health-Northern Pines in Aurora.

She was born on February 24, 1937 to Wilho and Helmi (Huikari) Finnila in Markham. Dolores was crowned Miss Laskiainen in 1954 and graduated from Aurora High School, Class of 1956. She was united in marriage to Harold Johnson on March 30, 1957. The couple moved to California and started their family. Upon Harold’s honorable discharge from the Navy, the family moved back to Minnesota and established their permanent home in Palo. While maintaining her home, Dolores worked at several jobs throughout her life. She was a member of the Palo Congregational Church as well as the First Baptist Church in Aurora and the Ladies of Kaleva. Dolores enjoyed fishing, ceramics, cake decorating and watching wildlife. Dolores took great pride in her Finnish SISU heritage and was fortunate to have traveled to Finland on several occasions. Her utmost joy was in her family and being a grandmother and great-grandmother.

Survivors include her children: H. Scott Johnson of Princeton, Kraig Johnson of Palo, David (Toni) Johnson of Oak Grove and Kristine (Luke) Enno of Dayton, MN; grandchildren: Trevor (Kayla) Johnson, Stacia Grace, Miranda (Talon Seitz) Johnson, Luke Johnson, Jillian (Dawson) Ehlke and Davin and Anjolique Enno; six great-grandchildren: Eliel and Vayda Grace, Ayden Smith, Vander Seitz, and Lilja and Zita Ehlke; sister, Jane (Jack) Nevala of Aurora; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; siblings: Dorothy Newgard and Lester Saari; and her parents.