Patty Johnson

Patty Jean (Knapp) Johnson, age 87, of Milbank, SD, died June 2, 2018, at the Milbank Hospital.

Memorial services will be held on Thursday, June 7, at 11:00 a.m. at Living Word Lutheran Church in Milbank. Visitation will be held one hour before services on Thursday. Pastor Kent Groethe will officiate, and burial will take place at Milbank City Cemetery.

Patty Jean Knapp was born on December 6, 1930, in Sundance, Wyoming, the daughter of Marshall and Edna Fay (Reynolds) Knapp. The family moved to Buffalo, Wyoming in 1931. Patty lived in Buffalo through her school years and graduated high school in 1949. On August 18, 1951, she married Murrel Johnson in Buffalo and together they had four children.

Patty and Murrel moved to Milbank, SD in 1953, where they remained until 1960, when they moved to Blunt SD. While living in Blunt, Patty worked for the South Dakota Treasury Department. In 1972, Patty and Murrel moved back to Milbank where they would stay for the rest of their lives. Patty worked as a tax preparer and retired from Kirby J. Hins, Ltd. She enjoyed the times when she was able to work at the library.

Patty enjoyed playing Bridge with her friends, playing marbles with her grandchildren, reading, and loved living life to the fullest. She had a strong faith in God and her church.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Randy (Pam) Johnson of Carver, MN, Ann Marie Hawley (Dick Rasmussen) of Sisseton, SD, Mark Johnson of Milbank, SD, and Kevin (Sara Muilenburg) Johnson of Milbank, SD; grandchildren: Katie ( Paul) Pihl, Jesse (Stephanie) Johnson, Austin Johnson, Chassity Schiesser, Nikki Wallenberg, and Dana Johnson; eight great-grandchildren; brothers: Marshall “Pod” Knapp of Kaycee, WY and David (Sharon) Knapp of Riverton, WY, all her nieces and nephews; special family members: Tammy Pauli and Valerie Johnson; along with many other family and friends.

Preceding Patty in death are her husband Murrel; her parents; and siblings: Marion Wagoner, Zylpha Baldwin, Frank Knapp and Alma (Dutch) Ellis.