James T. Johnson

JAMES THOMAS JOHNSON

James (Jim) T. Johnson, 86, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, May 19, 2026, at his home, where he was being cared for by his wife Joan and stepdaughter Stacey.

Jim was born in La Crosse, WI, on November 12, 1939, to Earl and Evelyn (Thompson) Johnson.

He carried fond memories of growing up on the family farm in Money Creek, MN, and graduated from Houston High School in 1957, where he excelled in several sports. In addition to sports, Jim also shared his love for music by performing in a barbershop quartet during his early adulthood.

Following high school, Jim launched a dedicated grocery industry career spanning over 60 total years. He built a reputation for hard work through roles at Red Owl Foods, Mark-It Foods, Country Market, and Midtown Foods. After formally retiring, Jim’s passion and work ethic kept him employed part-time at Hy-Vee until the age of 80.

Jim first married Theresa Wittenberg, with whom he shared four children before later divorcing. In 1984, Jim married Joan Eichman VanHorn Johnson, beginning over 40 wonderful years of marriage together.

Jim was a kind and honest man, and he will be remembered for his joyful humor, appreciation of nature, profound devotion to his family, and unwavering love for all sports – especially the Minnesota professional teams. Despite their many trials and tribulations, Jim never gave up on his teams – although there were times that perhaps he should have.

Together with Joan, he spent years traveling across the country, exploring America's national parks, and taking memorable trips that included Florida and Boston to visit his children and stepchildren. Jim loved his home and took immense pride in keeping an immaculate yard and gardens. He was a fierce protector and provider for local wildlife, waging epic, humorous battles against neighborhood squirrels to ensure the birds of West Mark Street were always abundantly fed. His dedication was unmatched, famously stocking up on over 200 pounds of bird food in a single trip to Fleet Farm to keep his avian friends well-fed. The birds always ate well if Jim had anything to say about it.

Jim is survived by his beloved wife, Joan; his children, Thomas (Nancy) Johnson, Paul (Anita) Johnson, and Michelle (Randy) Wittmann; his stepchildren, Thom (Maggie) VanHorn and Stacey (Chris McCallson) Jacobson; his grandchildren, Joshua, Patrick, Kiley, Lukas, and Summer Johnson, and Ryan Wittmann; and his step-grandchildren, Cole and McKenna Jacobson. He is further survived by his brother, Steve (Lynn) Johnson, and his sister, Carla Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his infant son, Patrick; his brother, Lowell Johnson; and his sisters, Joni Busch and Eline Kliest.

The family wants to express their gratitude to the many friends, family members, and co-workers who loved Jim. They want to thank the team at Winona Area Hospice Services who provided exceptional home care. And they offer a special thank you to Joan and Jim’s neighbor Lori Garlock Paulson who provided kindness, compassion, and assistance to the family during Jim’s final days.

At Jim's request, no formal funeral service will be held. The family will host a celebration of life later this summer - details to be forthcoming.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Jim’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com