Neal Melvin Johnson

Neal Melvin Johnson was the first child born to Melvin and Helen Johnson on November 5, 1941. Neal grew up on the family farm on Greenfield Bench about 5 miles south of Power. He loved helping his dad with the crops and also with raising sheep and cattle. Neal graduated from Power High School in 1960. After high school, he attended Northern Montana College in Havre. Neal joined the Army in the summer of 1963. After his honorable discharge from the Army, Neal moved back home and began working for 3 Rivers Telephone in Fairfield, MT.

He married Ruth Geiszler in Great Falls, MT in the summer of 1969. Their daughter, Tanya, was born in the spring of 1972. In the spring of 1976, Neal had the opportunity to take over the family farm from his parents and built a house right next door. This was also the year their son, Kurt joined the family.
In 1982, Neal was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and had to quit farming. He then worked for Waddell and Reed as a financial consultant, John Deere as an equipment salesman, and many other odd jobs. In 1990, Neal got back on with 3 Rivers Telephone and worked there until his retirement in 2006. Neal and Ruth then moved into Great Falls where he lived until his death.
Neal loved to spend time camping in the mountains, hunting, and shooting his collection of rifles. One of his favorite things to do was photography. At many family gatherings you would always find Neal with his camera hanging around his neck, ready to capture the next great moment. One of Neal’s greatest accomplishments was achieving his pilot’s license. He loved flying over the Rocky Mountains and the fields of Greenfield Bench to take photos from the plane.

Neal is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ruth Johnson; daughter, Tanya (Yusuf Siddiqui) Johnson; granddaughter, Ruqaiya Siddiqui of Fort Collins, CO; son, Kurt (Stephani) Johnson; grandsons, Lane and Josey Hinderager and granddaughters, Khloe and Harper Johnson of Power, MT. He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Helen, and sister, Karen, and brother-in-law, Dick Hanson.