Aurene Mildred Johnson, entered into the presence of her Lord on Dec. 18, 2010, in a reunion with family and friends who have gone before. There to greet her were her parents; nine siblings; her husband; five sons; and scores of extended family and friends. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, at Faith Baptist Church, Kenmare. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetery, Kenmare.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a prayer service will be held at 7 p.m., with the Rev. Merle Hoots officiating.

Aurene was born July 12, 1916, the daughter of Per and Alma (Erickson) Ekstrom on a farm near Kenmare. God gave Aurene 94 years to do the work He had reserved for her and to prepare her for this great day of reunion. Aurene grew up on a farm near Kenmare and graduated valedictorian from Mohall High School, while living with an older sister. She married Arthur A. Johnson in November 1942, and they began growing a family on a farm near Powers Lake. Their first son, David, was born in 1944.

Her faith was tested time and time again, on three occasions by the death at birth of four sons, Gerald in 1945, Leslie and Larry in 1949 and Ki-Allen in 1957. Her greatest challenge occurred on April 11, 1959, when her husband of only 16 years was killed in a tractor accident. Left on her own to maintain a farm and raise five young children, her faith remained strong as she led and supported her young family with courage and hard work. Her unending dedication to her faith and family resulted in all five children following her in faith, which to her was her greatest achievement. In October 1969, her world was shaken by the death of her oldest son, David, in a plane crash. Once again, she demonstrated the faithfulness of her God as she led her family through another period of loss. David left behind a young wife, who a few months later, gave birth to Aurene's first granddaughter, Tami Lynn. Aurene was given the opportunity and enjoyed raising Tami most of the first three years of her life. Kept strong by the faith she claimed in her teen years and the love and support of her siblings and their families, Aurene touched and influenced the lives of countless people.

Aurene achieved one of her greatest goals by keeping the farm to be passed on to her children as a place that will always be called home. She spent many years cooking at the elementary school in Powers Lake, so that she could be home when the children were home. After her youngest son, Randy, graduated from high school in 1974, she spent several years living alone on the farm. In 1988, she moved from the farm to an apartment in Kenmare, where she lived on her own until the summer of 2007. That summer she moved to Bismarck to live with her daughter, Nancy. Her family owes a debt of gratitude to Nancy and Ray for the love and personal care they extended to her, keeping her comfortable and appreciated for the last three years of her life.

Aurene is survived by her four children and their families, Donna (Henry) Fournier and their three children, Henry, Tina and Arthur; Nancy (Ray) Kiemele and her three children, Michelle, Janelle and Jason; Perry (Nancy) and their four children, David, Christopher, Kristi and Kylie; and Randall (Debbie) and their three sons, Tim, Matthew and Luke; granddaughter, Tami Joyce; and 17 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur; four infant sons, Gerald, Larry, Leslie and Ki-Allen; her son, David; seven sisters, Agnes Lagorin, Alice Rodin, Anna Martin, Alma Rodin, Adrie Smith, Alida Savage and Amy Nelson; two brothers, Arthur Ekstrom and Arvid Ekstrom; and her parents.