Marlin Sylvester Johnson

Marlin Sylvester Johnson, 95, of Clear Lake, died Sunday, October 5, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Mason City, Iowa.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave, with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Rev. Dan Gerrietts will officiate. Inurnment will follow at Lincoln Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church. 

To watch Marlin's Service, click here: Marlin's Service

Marlin was born December 9, 1929, in Kensett, to Merrill and Amanda (Sorenson) Johnson. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church and attended rural school in Kensett. Marlin married Joanna Helene Vermedal on Jan. 21, 1954.

Marlin was an excellent and lifelong farmer, and together with Joanna they farmed until they retired in 2009.

Marlin had a lifelong passion for collecting all things John Deere, with a special love for two-cylinder tractors. In his later years, he held two farm sales of his tractors, often declaring he was finished collecting—only to discover there was always room for one more.

Marlin and Joanna enjoyed taking driving trips, and when they were home, they tended a large garden and sweet corn patch, always sharing the harvest with friends and family. They also shared a love of dogs, especially Jody, Sugar, Gacka, Blackie, and Peanuts. Marlin had a large circle of wonderful friends and was a loyal friend to them all. He loved deer hunting and fishing, talking all things farming, and he was always the first one to help a neighbor.

He is survived by seven nieces and nephews: Randy (Beth) Johnson of Clear Lake; Julie (Stuart) Oltrogge of Clear Lake; Jackie (Gary Bland) Wilson of West Des Moines; Kathy (John) Hendricks of Clear Lake; Karen (Dean) Jurgens of Thornton; Becky (Tom) Hall of Mason City; and Ric (Jean) Vermedal of Plymouth. He is also survived by many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Joanna in 2012; his parents; his sister Frances Doran and her husband Harold; three brothers and their wives, Amil and Helen Johnson, Wallace Johnson, and Floyd A. and Norma Johnson; brother-in-law Paul Vermedal and his wife, Peg; and nephews Mark Johnson and Terry Vermedal, along with Terry’s wife, Karen.