Gerald "Jo" Johansen

Gerald “Jo” Lee Johansen, the son of Marius and Anna Marie (Steffensen) Johansen, was born on Aug. 29, 1930, in Partridge Township, Pine County, Minnesota. At the age of six his family moved to Iowa and Jo was raised in Chapin, graduating from Chapin High School, “Class of 1949”.

Jo served in the United States Marine Corp and in the Korean War, 1952 to 1954.

On Dec. 18, 1952, Jo married Nancy Roberts in Anaheim, CA and they had five children: David, Carol, Susan, Janet, and John. The couple later divorced.

On June 28, 1991, Jo married Colleen Targgart at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Eagle Grove.

Jo worked for Henning Construction (commercial building projects), at the Eagle Grove Sale Barn, and owned and operated Johansen Auctioneering CO.

He was a member of Evangelical Lutheran Church, the American Legion and served as a councilman for the city of Coulter. Jo loved to go fishing and teach his family how to fish.

Jo passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion, at the age of 93 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughters, Carol Smith and Susan Johansen; son-in-law, Gary Stratmann; daughter-in-law, Karolyn Johansen and siblings: Dorothy Heyer, Dagmar Schningal, Evelyn DeVries, Elvera Dodd and Clarence Johansen.

Jo is survived by his wife, Colleen Johansen of Eagle Grove; children, David of Latimer, Janet Stratmann of Garner, and John Johansen (Brenda) of Hampton; 20 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; brother, Marvin Johansen of Longmont, CO; sister, Gertrude Hollingsworth of Baxter, MN and stepchildren: Elaine Jorgensen (Tom) of Eagle Grove, Wayne Lemmon (Kim) of Dansville, NY, Jodie Kauffman (John) of Eagle Grove and Nathan Lemmon (Angie) of Britt.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, 11 a.m. at Evangelical Lutheran Church with visitation one hour prior to service time. Burial was Tuesday, Dec. 26, 11 a.m. in North Lawn Cemetery, Fort Dodge.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family. www.foustfh.com