Hildegard "Hilde" Johnson

Hildegard “Hilde” Johnson, 88, was born Hildegard Schöffbeck in Freising, Germany on November 26, 1937 and passed away on May 5, 2026. She was the middle child of thirteen brothers and sisters. Being born during war time presented many challenges for her large family. She recalled hiding in underground shelters from ever-present bombings, often being hungry and having to run to school past marching soldiers. Yet, during this difficult time she spoke fondly of mushroom picking with her father and playing in the woods with her eight sisters and five brothers.

At the age of 20, Hildegard met and married an Air Force service man named Earl Johnson who was originally born and raised in Clarkfield, Minnesota. The two gave birth to their first son, Richard, in the year 1957 and two years later relocated from Germany to Minnesota. Their second son, Robert, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in the year 1961. The Johnson’s moved to the Forest Lake area in the year 1968.

Hildegard and Earl loved to travel, camp and enjoy time with family and friends. Over the years, they made multiple trips back to Germany to visit relatives.

Hildegard was a school bus driver for the Forest Lake School district for close to thirty years. She enjoyed her time driving school bus and was proud of the fact that she drove multiple generations of the same families to school. The bus garage is where Hildegard met a number of her life-long friends, including Hildegard Wilson, who was also from Germany. The two Hildegard’s relished in confusing the local school kids as to which Hildegard was which.

When not driving school bus, Hildegard enjoyed garage sale-ing, making trips to the casino, gardening, camping, and window shopping. On weekends, you would find her sitting on the patio with her closest friend, Annetta Olson sharing what they lovingly called, “a Highball.”

Hildegard loved playing cards and RummiKub. Her long time, card club group of Bev, Judy and Pearl met religiously every Wednesday and Thursday at the Legion to play pinochle. They would play for hours and their time together was filled with many laughs and stories.

Trips to Osceola and Stillwater for pie and coffee with Joan, and later her friend Kathy, were a favorite past time.

Hildegard took her greatest pride and joy in her grandchildren, Steven, Quinton, and Asher and she especially loved her two great granddaughters Maci and Hazel. Hildegard was also blessed with a bonus grandson, her neighbor Craig who she considered to be one of her own.

Hildegard is preceeded in death by her husband, Earl Johnson; her father George Schöffbeck and mother, Anna Schöffbeck; brother’s, Joseph, George, Herbert, Ervin and Walter; her sisters, Anna, Wallberga, and Herminie. Hildegard is survived by her two sons, Richard and Robert; daughter-in-law, Kathy; grandson, Steven and his wife Kristi; grandsons, Quinton and Asher; great-granddaughters, Maci and Hazel; dear sisters, Gertrude, Berta, Honnelorie and Christine; and Tex, the dog, her daily visitor and good friend.

Hildegard’s life will be celebrated with a service at 12 PM Saturday, June 20th with visitation beginning at 11 AM at Roberts Family Funeral Home, Forest Lake. Interment at Scandinavian Cemetery, Forest Lake.