Michael Douglas Johnson, 67, Sioux Falls, formerly of Woonsocket, died peacefully of cancer at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2021. 

Mike didn’t want a traditional funeral, instead he wanted to be cremated and have his family and friends celebrate his life together. A memorial service and celebration of life will be held Saturday, June 25, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel, 402 N Commercial Street, Clark. Lunch will be served after the service, with a time of sharing. Burial will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Clark. Funeral arrangements are with Furness Funeral Home.

Michael Douglas Johnson was born Dec. 7, 1953, in O’Fallon, Ill., to parents Harold L. Johnson and Clarine (Cochrane) Johnson. He grew up in Lake Andes and was the first born of three children. He graduated from Andes Central High School in 1972. He then graduated from Mitchell Vocational Technical School. Following in the footsteps of his father, he accepted a job as a telephone man for Sanborn Telephone Company in Woonsocket and was later promoted to supervisor and manager.

Mike married Sue Goehring from Wessington Springs in 1978, and they had a son, Dustin Michael Johnson in 1980. In the summer of 1997, he got guardianship of his nephew, Mike Flammond, who moved to Woonsocket to live with Mike and Dusty. Mike continued to work for Sanborn Telephone for 36 years before retiring in 2010. During his retirement, he spent time traveling to various places and had a winter home in Harlingen, Texas. In 2020, Mike moved in with his son, Dustin, in Sioux Falls, where he remained until his death.

Mike is survived by his son, Dustin of Sioux Falls; sisters, Kristy Bower of Harlingen, Texas, and Darci (Greg) Mohr of Arvada, Colo.; his nieces and nephews, Nikki Flammond of Denver, Mike Flammond serving in the Army at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Tyler (Emily) Flammond of Guntersville, Ala., Casey Flammond of Los Angeles, Calif., and Emily Noel, Kelly and Rachel Mohr of Arvada and Denver, Colo.; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Clarine Johnson, and grandparents, Ted and Mildred Cochrane and John and Carrie Johnson.