Genealogy Data
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Birth : 25 February 1902 in Willmar, Minnesota
Death : 1982 in San Diego, California
Burial : 1982 in Red Wing, Minnesota
[joan'sfam.FTW]
"Auntie Ven" as we always called her was another favorite Aunt. She was named after her paternal grandmother Vendla Charlotta Johnson. Her two adopted children and one of her two natural children died very young. My cousin Jack Lillyblad is her surviving son. Her husband (father of her children), George Lillyblad "left" when their son Jack was about 2 years of age. After that Vendla had to be the primary bread winner. She spent many years as housekeeper /cook to wealthy families in Minneapolis and later in Los Angles. During the war she worked for the Federal Government in California. In about 1945 she and Jack moved to Texas to help take care of her mother, Etta. There she met Price McElroy and they were married, later moving to California. Since Vendla had to work all of her life, her son Jack (Joan and Joyce's cousin) would spend summers with us at Green Lake. I remember that every couple of weekends (when she had the weekend off) she would take the bus from Minneapolis to Kandiyohi for the weekend and we would all go to meet her. She often brought us all a treat or small gift. My memory of her is that she was a kind, generous and jolly person - not permitting her unfortunate circumstances to interfere with her enjoyment of life. I have many fond memories of "Auntie Ven" (and Jack!). In her later years she was very good about taking care of her second husband and other elderly people who lived in her retirement park in Vista, CA and later in her retirement home. She was the last of the "Johnson" children to die. She remained faithful to her Christian Science religion to the end.
Parents:
Father: Johnson, George WilliamFamily:
Mother: Johnson, Etta Pease
Marriage: 9 May 1925 in Red Wing, MinnesotaFamily:
Spouse:Lillyblad, GeorgeChildren:
Birth : Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death : May 1972 in Richmond, Virginia/Richmond Co., VA
Lillyblad, Baby girl
Birth : 1926
Death : 1926
Lillyblad, Donald George
Birth : 1928
Death : 13 June 1928 in Red Wing, Minnesota
Lillyblad, Ronald James
Birth : 1928
Death : 1930 in Red Wing, Minnesota
Lillyblad, Jack Robert
Marriage: 1946 in Texas
Spouse:McElroy, Price
Birth : Texas
Death : California
There are many interesting stories in the lives of those represented here. Please help me add information, photos, or whatever you feel comfortable with.
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This page has been slightly reformatted and preserved in memory of its creator and my brother.
(aka Bruce Johnson)
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