Phyllis Johnson

Phyllis Jean Johnson, 95, of Plentywood died March 21, 2026.

She was born May 14, 1930 to Leora (Fitzer) and Arthur Lester in Plentywood. Her parents' families settled near Welliver and Daleview from Indiana and Illinois in the 1910s. She was the oldest of six children and helped around the place, feeding animals and siblings, tending the farm buildings and house, gardening, cooking, canning and driving equipment. She later would help neighbors. She spent summers with relatives in Plentywood, Medicine Lake and Froid.

She started school at the Marsh School and traveled to school by horseback, sleigh and wagon. She continued her schooling in Plentywood, staying with her grandmother Lulu and boarding with her siblings with di rent families. She graduated from Plentywood High School in 1949 where she played high school softball. She went to college at Northern Montana in Havre for a term.

She met Maynard in high school and were married on Thanksgiving Day 1949, which became their de facto anniversary day. He worked for Montana-Dakota Utilities. She worked as a Rexall soda jerk, an Avon lady and a sales clerk at the Anthony's Clothing Store. She and Mark closed out Grandpa Johnson's Second Hand Store and finished her work career at Sheridan Memorial Hospital O_ce as an insurance coder.

She and Maynard had four boys over about 10 years: Greg, Mark, Brian and Doyle. She was a den mother for all four boys and attended many school and sporting events through the years. The boys now reside in California, Colorado and Montana.

She and Maynard were longtime members of the Evangelical United Brethren later the Evangelical United Methodist Church where they were married by Reverend Dunn. They filled many roles at the church: Sunday School teacher, board member, Ladies Aid member, ushers and caretakers of the building.

She spent much time on community projects. She helped with the editing of Sheridan’s Daybreak I and hosted many of the weekly editorial crew meetings. She served as a member of the Montana Home Extension Club and the UMC Ladies Aid.

She and Maynard enjoyed camping, square and round dancing, travel tours and their cats. They bought an Apache pop-up tent camper in the early ‘60s, commonly touring both sides of the border. They managed to hit all four corners of the U.S., along with Hawaii and Alaska in their travels. The highlight of their travels was a month-long tour of Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. She loved to keep up her scrapbooks, swim and bike.

Their love of square dancing led them to many international square dancing events in the Dakotas, Montana, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Other trips included motor coach tours for New England foliage and history, regional theaters at Medora, Devils Lake, Fort Peck and the Regina RR Station. They repeatedly, attended the Norsk Høstfest.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard; son, Doyle; brothers, Ronald and Forrest “Bud.”

She is survived by sons, Gregory, Mark and Brian; and sisters, Charlotte Page, Geri Glover and Marcia Nelson.

Services will be held at a later date with burial of her cremated remains with Maynard.