Former Evangelical Free Church Leader Wesley Johnson Dies at 89

Wesley Earl Johnson, 89, of Motley, Minnesota, died on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, according to his obituary, published by Brenny Family Funeral Chapel and Cremation Services. The notice says he had accepted Jesus as his Savior in college and had served as a minister of the gospel since the 1950s.

Johnson was born June 21, 1931, in Minneapolis to Evelyn (Ekgren) and Earl Johnson. He grew up in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis and graduated from Robbinsdale High School in 1949. He first planned to study pre-medicine at the University of Minnesota, then transferred to Northwestern College in Minneapolis, where he earned a degree in Bible in 1954. He married Carol Sandberg on June 28, 1952, in Minneapolis.

The couple moved to Chicago when Johnson began seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He received a Master of Divinity degree in 1957 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1985. From 1956 to 1959 he was youth pastor at First Evangelical Free Church of Chicago. He then served as pastor of Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester, Minnesota, from 1959 to 1963, and of Thief River Falls Evangelical Free Church in Minnesota from 1963 to 1968. From 1968 to 1977 he pastored Liberty Bible Church of Chesterton, Indiana.

In 1977 Johnson was called to be superintendent of the Great Lakes District of the Evangelical Free Church of America. He served as district superintendent until 1995. In that year he became assistant to the president of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The obituary says he and Carol retired fully in 2006, moved to Motley, Minnesota, and became involved at Lincoln Evangelical Free Church in Cushing. He was the author of two books, *The Right Pastor* and *Pathways and Ponderings*.

In early 2020, as his health declined, Johnson moved to the Lakewood Care Center in Staples, Minnesota, where the obituary says he was cared for until his death. He is survived by Carol, his wife of 68 years; their children, Larry, Rick and Tammy; his sister, Marie Hauck; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A funeral service is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. at Lincoln Evangelical Free Church, 1354 320th Street, Cushing, Minnesota, with Reverend Don Reigstad officiating. Visitation will be held for one hour before the service at the church. Burial will take place in the spring in Crystal, Minnesota. Brenny Funeral Home of Staples is handling arrangements.

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