Watch Butch's Funeral Service

Duane "Butch" Johnson, age 81, of Flom, MN, died on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at Viking Manor Nursing Home in Ulen, MN.

Duane "Butch" Johnson was born on June 25, 1945, to Boyd and Dorothy (Voltz) Johnson in Ada, Minnesota. He spent his childhood growing up in Hillsboro, ND, Gary, MN, and the Twin Valley and Flom, MN, areas.  Butch attended elementary school in the one-room schoolhouse in Flom and graduated from Twin Valley High School in 1963.

As a youth, he worked picking rocks and as a farmhand at various neighboring farms to earn a few dollars. In 1964, he started at the Flom Co-op Oil Association, where he continued working for more than 40 years. He began as the bulk fuel driver, filling tanks across the Flom, Ogema, Waubun, Ulen, and Twin Valley areas, often with one of his four children riding along. In 1977, he became manager of the Co-op, serving in that role until his retirement in 2004. He continued working part time until 2019.

Butch married Carol Seykora on October 16, 1965, after proposing to her at her senior prom earlier that spring. Butch and Carol bought their home on the north end of Flom, where they have lived ever since.

Butch's commitment, dedication, and unwavering service to the Flom community were remarkable. Always one of the first to help anyone in whatever way needed.  Over the years, he served as president of the Flom Community Club, held various officer positions on the Aspelund Church Council, served as Flom Township Water Superintendent, served as president of the Flom-Twin Valley Credit Union, and was a charter member and president of the Flom and Area Lions Club.

Farming was his lifelong passion. He spent his youth and much of his adult life farming with his father and brothers and helping his father-in-law on the family farms. After the death of his parents and the sale of the family farm, Butch continued that love by establishing and championing the Flom Threshing Bee and growing a two-acre potato garden for use in the Flom Café for more than 40 years. He also donated hundreds of pounds of potatoes to local churches, food banks, and Flom-area community events. Through it all, Butch earned the title "Potato King."

Other hobbies and pastimes included gopher trapping, working in his workshop, cutting wood, driving around with Carol in the side-by-side to check the crops, and keeping the area ditches clean. His grandchildren were a joy, and over the years he and Carol drove endless miles between Fergus Falls, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Lake Park to watch their many activities. He didn't always want to go, but he wouldn't tell Carol no.

Butch is survived by his wife of 60 years, Carol; son Leon (Lori Olson) Johnson of Fergus Falls, MN; daughters, DeeAnn (Mike) Wolfswinkel of Lake Park, MN, Teresa (Steve) Wasvick of Grand Forks, ND, and Stacy (Brian) Roney of Fargo, ND; grandchildren: Jacey and Joey Johnson, Adam, Cody, Jen, and Casie Wolfswinkel, Nathan (Jenna), Justin, and Ryan Wasvick, and Nora and Claire Roney; and two great-grandchildren, Adalynn and Dawson Wasvick.  He is also survived by his brother, Donnie (Kay) Johnson of Flom; sisters, Sandy Seykora of Mahnomen, MN, and Betty (Dale) Thompson of Edina, MN; sisters-in-law, Mary Johnson of Fargo, Linda (Wally) Blomseth of Twin Valley, and Lois Malmskog of Lake Park; and a brother-in-law Gerald Lien of Flom; as well as several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter-in-law, Connie Johnson; brother, Bill Johnson; sisters, Bonnie Swenson and Donna Lien; brothers-in-law, Lyle Seykora, Gordon Swenson, and Larry Malmskog; his niece, Brenda Seykora; nephews, Jeffrey Seykora and Kevin Blomseth; and great nephew, Brady Blomseth.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, August 2, 2026 from 4:00pm – 6:00pm, with a prayer service at 5:30pm, at the Anderson Family Funeral Home in Twin Valley. A funeral service to celebrate the life of Duane "Butch" Johnson will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026, at 10:00am, with visitation an hour prior, at the Aspelund Lutheran Church, Flom.