Obit: Johnson, Keith “Swede” (1934 - 2019)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Johnson, Pelzek, Lightfoot, Elmhorst

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/26/2019

Johnson, Keith “Swede” (16 December 1934 – 15 June 2019)

Keith “Swede” Johnson, 84, of Merrillan passed away June 15, 2019, at the House of the Dove, Marshfield.

Keith was born Dec. 16, 1934, to the late Francis and Ann Pelzek. He was united in marriage with Maryann Lightfoot Feb. 16, 1959, in the “Little Brown Church in the Vale” in Nashua, IA.

Swede spent his younger years working as a wheelsman and boatswain on the freighters, hauling cargo on the Great Lakes. He was in many storms and heard the Mayday call of the Edmund Fitzgerald. He had many sea stories to tell.

When he was at home, he enjoyed spending time with his family: wife, Maryann, son Clayton; daughter Jill Elmhorst; grandsons Trystan and Garett Johnson and Noah, Taylor and Collin Elmhorst; two granddaughters-in-law Ming Yuan Elmhorst and Kelsey Johnson, brother-in-law Jake, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Ann; mother- and father-in-law Gladys and Jacob Lightfoot; an infant sister; grandson Noah Elmhorst; and five sisters and four brothers-in-law.

With respect to his wishes, there will be no funeral service.