JAMES R. JOHNSON, 81

James R. Johnson, 81, of Blair, died Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, in Blair.

A private family ceremony and private inurnment is planned to be held in Minnesota.

James R. Johnson was born Dec. 16, 1927, in Carlton County, Minn., to Henry and Mae (White) Johnson.

On Jan. 12, 1953, he married Lillian Laine in Duluth, Minn.

He moved to Nebraska in 1972, where he served as executive director of the Nebraska Heart Association for many years.

He established the Merry Makers Association, which provided free live music to nursing home residents in Nebraska and Iowa. That service is still much enjoyed by nursing home residents today.

He is survived by his wife, Lillian; daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and John Page; sons and daughters-in-law, Don and Jean Johnson, Stafford Johnson and Cliff and Carol Johnson, all of Blair; eight grandchildren; fiv e great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Irving and Maryjane Johnson of Rochester, Minn.

Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home in Fort Calhoun is in charge of arrangements.

# 2 -- printed in the Omaha World-Herald, 2/23/2009

JOHNSON - - James R., age 81, Blair, NE. Survived by wife, Lillian; daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and John Page; son and daughter-in-law, Don and Jean Johnson; son, Stafford Johnson; son and daughter-in-law, Cliff and Maryjane Johnson, Rochester, MN; 8 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Jim established the Merry Makers Association, which provides free live music to nursing home residents in Nebraska and Iowa. This service by Merry makers is still much enjoyed by nursing home residents to this day.

Private services in Minnesota.

SIEVERS-SPRICK, Ft. Calhoun, NE 402-468-5678