George “Marvin” Johnson

George Marvin Johnson, formerly of Cloquet, died at his home in Hochheim-am-Main, Germany, in late May 2002.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, at Barr Brothers Funeral Home in Cloquet, with internment to follow at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Cloquet. Friends may call one hour prior to the service.

George Marvin Johnson was born on Nov. 27, 1935, in Cloquet to George Reuben and Ruth (Hanson) Johnson. He was a 1953 graduate of Cloquet High School. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army, and studied languages at the Army Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. Johnson became fluent in Czech, Russian and German. He left active military duty in 1957 and earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Minnesota in 1961. He continued employment with the Department of the Army as a civilian, and was stationed in Nuremberg, Heidelberg, and Mainz, Germany. He was stationed in Mainz for more than 20 years, where he worked debriefing foreign nationals and translating documents. During this time, he earned his master’s degree in political science from Boston University through the University of Heidelberg. He retired in 1995, and remained in Germany.

He married Anita Kinde in 1965. They had one daughter, Danette. They divorced in 1995.

Johnson enjoyed his retirement in Germany, traveling frequently throughout Europe with friends. Among his favorite destinations were the Czech Republic, Italy and Hungary. He loved his daughter, and he loved learning about new things. He took great pleasure in reading (particularly books about politics and history), nature and the outdoors, traveling, good food and friends.

Johnson was preceded in death by his parents George and Ruth Johnson.

He is survived by his daughter Danette (and Doug) Sumerford of Ames, Iowa; sisters Maxine (and Roger) Doran of Kimball, and Marlene (and Robert) Doran of Bella Vista, Ark.; nieces, nephews, and many friends.

Memorials to the Arbor Day Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Cloquet Public Library, or the Cloquet Educational Foundation are preferred.