Michael Johnson

Michael David Johnson was born July 10, 1954, in Atlantic, Iowa, the son of Howard C. and Marian LaVonne (Knudsen) Johnson and was called home to be with his Lord Saturday, June 8, 2013, at Alegent Creighton Health in Omaha, Nebraska.

He graduated from Anita High School with the class of 1972. On September 27, 1974, Mike was married to Melissa Mehlmann in Anita.

The couple lived in Waukee, Iowa, where they raised their two children, until the summer of 2000, when they moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. Mike worked as a systems analyst for various insurance companies until 2005 when he entered the Distance Education Leading to Ordination (DELTO) program through the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
In 2007 they moved back to Anita to the Johnson family farm, and in September of 2009, Mike became Vicar at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic, of which he was a member.

Mike was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He shared his parents' love of antiques and the family farm, however, it was the love of the gospel that led him throughout his life.


He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Marian Johnson; his grandparents, Bert and Vevian Johnson and Alfred and Bertha Knudsen; his parents-in-law, Don and Shirley Mehlmann; and his brother-in-law, Mike Mehlmann.


Surviving Mike are his wife, Melissa of Anita, IA; his children, Molly (Steve) Brennan of Arvada, CO and Paul (Leah) Johnson of Abilene, TX; his granddaughter, Harper Johnson of Abilene, TX; his sister, Linda (Jim) Fehl of Norwalk, IA; his uncle, Leland (Karen) Johnson of Greenfield, IA; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jerry (Sandy) Mehlmann of Las Vegas, NV, Margaret Mehlmann of Indianola, IA and Rose Mehlmann of Anita, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation with family will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Monday, June 10, 2013, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 11, 2013, at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic.

Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.

Family will greet friends at a luncheon in the Anita American Legion Hall following the committal service.


Memorials may be made to Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, or Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.


Hockenberry Family Care in Anita, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.