Robert Eric Johnson

Robert “Bob” Eric Johnson, 80, of Belle Plaine, MN passed away peacefully at home after a brief battle with leukemia on Friday, March 22, 2024, surrounded by his family.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 1, from 4-7 p.m. at the Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine, and one hour prior to Mass at Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, April 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Prairie Catholic Church, Belle Plaine with Fr. George Grafsky officiating. Lunch will follow Mass at the Belle Plaine Vets Club. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Ridgeview Foundation – Hospice & Palliative Care and Our Lady of the Prairie Catholic Church.

Bob was born March 23, 1943 to Harry and Helen Johnson at Deaconess Hospital in Minneapolis and was raised on the family farm in Clayton, Wisconsin. He was baptized May 23, 1943. At the age of 15, he was involved in a hunting accident where he was shot in his right leg, resulting in amputation and a prosthetic leg. He graduated from Clayton High in 1961. 

He worked delivering appliances, worked in a warehouse and was a dispatcher at Barry Cartage. He lived in an apartment in Minneapolis with three other guys and that’s when he met Anne Riesgraf in May of 1966. They were engaged around Christmas of that same year and married May 27, 1967 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Jordan, MN. 

They lived in Minneapolis until they moved to Jordan where they added three sons to their family, Brad, Mark, and Jeff. In 1977 Bob and his brother-in-law, John Riesgraf, began their adventure of Johnson & Riesgraf Trucking, hauling livestock and general freight. Bob and Anne moved the family to a hobby farm outside of Belle Plaine in 1979 and in 1984 Bob purchased John’s portion of the business and began Johnson Trucking. He sold the livestock trucks in the late 80’s and continued to haul general freight until going to work for Styer Transportation in 1998 as a local truck driver until he retired in 2009.  

Bob enjoyed fishing, golfing, card playing, watching sports and westerns on television, and spending time with family and friends. In later years, he enjoyed many driveway gatherings with the neighbors, Wednesday morning coffee discussions with the Rooster Club; and any chance to get out on their pontoon.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Prairie Catholic Church in Belle Plaine; and the St. Lawrence Civic and Social Club where he was a part of many shenanigans.

Bob is survived by his wife of 56 years, Anne, of Belle Plaine; sons, Brad (Autumn) of Burnsville, Mark (Jelene) of Belle Plaine, and Jeff (Sam) of Arlington; grandchildren, Samantha, Kirsten, and Brady; step-grandchildren, Catherine and Carrie; sister, Margaret “Tootie” (Denny) Downs of Shakopee; Anne’s 16 siblings and their spouses, Allen (Gerri) Riesgraf, Helen (Al) Schroeder, John (Lonna) Riesgraf, Judy (Tom) Lenhart, Mary (Kent) Hatch, Gordon (Rose) Riesgraf, Richard (Terri) Riesgraf, Doris (Al) Pfeiffer, Gary "Buck" (Kim) Riesgraf, Paul (Fran) Riesgraf, Jane Anderson, Sam (Gail) Riesgraf, Steve (Karen) Riesgraf, Kurt (Lois) Riesgraf, Jeff (Pam) Riesgraf, and Barb Wentworth; many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; father and mother-in-law, Erwin and Hedwig Riesgraf; and other relatives. 

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