David A. Johnson

David A. Johnson, 65 of Webster, passed away Wednesday May 16, 2018 at Sanford Hospital in Webster. Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Webster, Rev. Mike DeKraai will officiate. Burial will be at Fron Lutheran Cemetery near Roslyn. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Monday 5-7 P.M. with a 6:45 prayer service. David Axel Johnson was born on December 24, 1952 at Peabody Hospital in Webster, SD, only child of Axel and Phyllis (Jensen) Johnson. He was baptized and confirmed at Fron Lutheran Church in rural Roslyn, SD. After growing up in Roslyn cruising in muscle cars and playing foosball and pool with a close group of friends, he graduated from Roslyn High School in 1971. David continued his education at Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. From 1972 to 1993 he was employed at Security Bank & Trust Co., eventually becoming the bank president. Later, he became a study hall supervisor, substitute teacher and bus driver for Webster Public School before working at Hedahl’s Auto Parts, A&S Hardware Hank, Esco Manufacturing and Dakota Tube Manufacturing. For a number of years he served as a lay-pastor for local rural churches and volunteered as an assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 33 in Webster. In 1977 he married Joy Syhre of Webster. He swept her off her feet with his dancing and singing. The couple made Webster their home. In 1984 their son Lucas was born, which David and Joy often said was the best thing that happened in their lives. His proudest moments were when Lucas became an Eagle Scout and later graduated with an engineering degree from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. He enjoyed the serenity of fall mornings spent hunting, riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, building homemade cigar box guitars, repairing scooters and collecting transistor radios, but his greatest passion was entertaining people with his singing and guitar playing. He played for dances at local bars and banquet halls, church events, county fairs and community gatherings both solo and as part of the Roslyn Creamery Band, and later recorded and released a solo album in 2014. He regretted never fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a professional country musician, though he said the accomplishments of his son and the love of his wife made up for a lot. He continued to play his music for everyone he met no matter what health issues he later experienced, and was always his happiest playing music with and for his friends. He will be greatly missed by his wife Joy of Webster, SD, son Luke (Claire) Johnson of Inglewood, CA, mother-in-law Hazel Syhre of Roslyn, SD, and one brother-in-law Bruce Syhre of St. Paul, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law LeVern Syhre, and brother-in-law Larry Syhre.