Jerold Johnson, whose early journalism career included a stint at the Marshfield News-Herald, died Saturday, May 22, in Farmington, N.M. He was 93.
Born April 29, 1928, in Abbotsford, Johnson was the son of Norma and Albin Johnson. He graduated from Abbotsford High School in 1946 and went on to attend the former UW Extension Center in Marshfield until 1947 and what was then known as Central State Teachers College at Stevens Point (now UW-Stevens Point) from 1948 to 1949.
In between his studies in Marshfield and Stevens Point, Johnson spent a year working in the business office of the Chicago Tribune. He returned in 1949 to the Tribune, where he worked until joining the U.S. Air Force in November 1951.
Following his military discharge in September 1955, Johnson enrolled at UW-Madison. He earned his journalism degree in June 1958 and joined the news staff at the Marshfield News-Herald later that month.
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Johnson spent four years at the News-Herald before moving southwest to Douglas, Ariz., where he worked for the Douglas Daily Dispatch. In 1967, Johnson joined the Farmington (N.M.) Daily Times, where he worked as a reporter and editor. Johnson remained with the Daily Times until his retirement in 1990.
Married April 7, 1958, in Marshfield, Johnson and his wife, Barbara, had four children, Joel, Mark, Stanley and Laura.