Mina Goodwin

Mrs. Norman (Mina) Goodwin, aged 96 of Bayport, MN, formerly of Kensington,
MN, entered the peace of Heaven on March 19, 2011, at the Lakeview Hospital
in Stillwater, MN. Mina Iona Goodwin was born on September 26, 1914, on a small farm in
Randall, MN. She later moved with her family to a farm in Osakis, MN,
where she graduated from high school in 1932. During those high school
years she took business classes from St. Cloud Business school. Mina was first married to Meryle LeBeau Ellis on July 6, 1940, in Sisseton,South Dakota. Mina and Meryle were dairy farmers in Osakis, MN. They had
six children. Meryle died on June 25, 1951. Her daughter, Bonita Rae Isakson passed away on
February 10, 2010.
Later Mina moved to Alexandria, MN with her six children where she worked
for the United States Department of Agriculture as a farm services specialist.
She met Clifford E. Johnson from Kensington, MN and was married on August 28, 1953.
They moved to their farm in Kensington, MN. Clifford was engaged in farming activities with his brothers and also worked for the USDA. Theodore Clifford Johnson was born into this union on June 21, 1954.
Clifford Johnson passed away on May 21, 1960. Teddy passed away on January 14, 1983.
Mina raised her seven children on the Kensington, MN farm and worked for the USDA until her retirement.
Mina was reunited with a former colleague and friend, Norman Goodwin in 1989. They were united in marriage and lived on the farm in Kensington. Mina and Norman then became residents of Croixdale Assisted Living Apts, Bayport, MN., in 2007. Norman passed away on April 2, 2010 at the Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, MN. She is also preceded in death by her husbands, step grandchildren, Barbara Bulens & Bradley Hoffman, siblings, Wayne, George, Lloyd, Elvin Fezler, Ila Mae Fezler, & Erma Schultz.
Mina is survived by her children James Howard LaForrest Johnson (Kathleen) of Alpena, Michigan; Jaclyn Faye Halvorson (Bruce) of Kensington, MN; Patricia Mae Keller (James) of Hastings, MN; Elizabeth Kay Nibbe (Dale) of
Alexandria, MN; MerylAnn Johnson, St. Croix Trails, MN; Nanette Duncan (Howard) of Eldridge, IA; Julie Hoffman (Larry) of West LaFayette, IN; David Goodwin (Carol) of Burbonnais, IL; and many grand and great
grandchildren; sister-in-law, Roberta Johnson Kennedy of Summit Lake, AK.
The book, In My Lifetime, was written by Mina. She spent seven years in genealogy searching and compilation of records. Family and friends are constantly referring to Mina's book for narratives of their families' lives. Mina Goodwin was engaged in many church, community and service activities. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church of Kensington for over fifty years, serving on the church council and superintendent of the Sunday school. She also served as a member of the Kensington Lions club and the Kensington Wennersborg Cemetary board. Mina had been appointed by Governor Perpich to serve on the Minnesota State Board on Aging.
Norman and Mina enjoyed twenty years traveling, involving themselves in numerous community activities and creating lovely gardens at their Kensington farm place. Their last years were truly blessed. Mina was a woman of courage and confidence. She was positive about life and the young and old gravitated to her. Her sophisticated wit and humor were always present. She was unyielding in her devotion to family and friends and her inner strength and faith were an inspiration to all. She will be lovingly remembered by those whose lives she touched.
Funeral services were held on Friday, March 25, at 11:00 am at the First Lutheran Church in Kensington with Rev. Kathryn Rothman and Rev. Marilee Bergerson officiating. Musicians were organist, Tricia Saulsbury and soloist Lynn Bruss and the Church Choir. Interment will be at the Wennersborg Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers were her granddaughters, Annele Johnson Richards, Sarah Halvorson Baggott, Morna Hoetker Rewey, Kiela Nibbe Bianco. Active pallbearers were her grandsons, Darrin Isakson, Brock Johnson, Andrew Halvorson, Wade Nibbe, Ross Tomaszewski, Raif Johnson Kennedy.
Arrangements were by the Roy-Hetland Funeral Home of Osakis, MN. www.royhetland.com