"When I was 14 I worked on a farm at Fairmont, North Dakota, and they had five hired men.  I remember cleaning out the milk separator; there were pictures of that Dan Patch horse hanging all over the milk barn.  I did the maid work and the housework too and I picked the eggs."
About this time Ruth met Gerald Johnson.  "The first time I saw him was in the dark," she said.  "My sister and I were on horseback and this car comes along with two guys in it.  We talked to each other in the dark."
It was, apparently, just as interesting to talk to each other during daylight hours.  "He came over and I showed him all the tricks my horse could do," she said.  "Then at a dance at White Rock he asked if I wanted to go to a show with him."
Was it love at first sight?  "Yes, kinda," admitted the shy lady.  "We were married on my 17^th birthday."  The wedding date was January 4^th, 1951.  The place was a Presbyterian church in Sisseton.  "I was actually a Lutheran but my minister was out of town," said Ruth.
The young couple lived in several places over the next fifteen years, from New Effington to a 16-foot trailer in Wichita, Kansas, from Anoka and St. Paul to a place near Silver Creek where Jerry did roofing. 
In 1966 they moved to an old farm on 78^th Street in Victoria.  The old weathered barn, now owned by Jack Barckhoff, still occupies the landscape. 
And then, in 1970, Jerry and Ruth Johnson bought the house on Main Street Victoria where Ruth still lives today.
That old Victoria house on Main Street has a long history and Ruth knows much of it.  "We bought it from Tschimperle's  -- Luverne Weber's parents.  Before that it was Frank Notermann's -- Betty Fink's parents.  Then Ben Diethelm's place -- Julene Vogel's parents.  And before that it was Salters."  Ruth gave this information from memory, but "it's at home all written down in the abstract."
There are people wanting to buy Ruth's home today in order to expand the development of downtown Victoria.  These people want to build a big fancy brick building with places to shop and eat and work.  But Ruth has broken a few horses in her time for spending money and she's in no hurry to sell her home for mere spending money today.  She knows her property has become prime commer-cial real estate.
After the family's move to Victoria, Ruth worked at the old cafe for Catherine Vanderlinde and at the grocery store for John Notermann and at the Creamery and Feedmill for Jim Kilbane.  "Then I went to work for Tom and Theresa Gregory at the Victoria Care Center after Jerry died," said Ruth, "and I worked there seven years, until my hip surgery."
Jerry and Ruth Johnson had four children.  Carolyn Higgins, who has three children, is a Title 7 Tutor for Native American students in Cook County Schools up at Grand Marais.  V
Van, who has four children and lives in Victoria, is a construction worker for Vogel Masonry.
Clayton, who has three children and lives in Plymouth, is a cabinet maker and
carpenter for BP Industries.
Lamont, who has four children and lives in Mayor, works in Shakopee for CertainTeed, a shingle making company.
Jerry, their father, worked for George Van Dusen Farms up on Hwy 7 in the old days.  When the place changed ownership and name, he worked for McKnight Company Farms until it was sold to the Park District.

What makes the ladies happy today?   Replied Jean, "My children and my friends.  And I'm looking forward to retirement.  It's only six weeks away and then I can be on Medicare."  Jean has had two major surgeries and doesn't want more medical bills.
Jean said that as she and Goody were raising their children, she was the disciplinarian.  "One minute I was too strict and the next minute I wasn't strict enough," she said. 
Ruth stated that being a mother and grandmother makes her happy.  "I think I was a pretty good mother," she said.  "I tried to be understanding.  I think I've been a pretty good grandmother.  I've done a lot of babysitting.  Life is harder today for the kids because both people have to work to get by."
Ruth had a hip replacement this past November 30^th, 2006, and the surgery re-sulted in some complications so she's not excited about having her other hip done.  Otherwise she is healthy.

Toward the end of their short lives on earth, both Goody and Jerry Johnson worked at Mammoth Industries in Chaska. 
Mammoth is what Thermal Fin became as it grew and moved to a larger location outside Victoria.  And, of course, music remained an important part of their lives to the end.  Music isn't like a job that comes and goes.  Music is part of the soul.
Both Jean and Ruth describe their husbands as "happy go lucky."  One might say that the Johnson brothers found their meat and potatoes in a good woman and a good song versus politics and religion, for example.  They took each day as it came to them and made the best of it, with a smile on their faces and a kick in their heels.  Their theme song could probably have been, "I'll get by with a little help from my friends."
Thank you, good ladies, for your stories and your time.  Happy Mother's Day and best wishes to you always.