Omar William Johnson (Plainview)

OMAR WILLIAM JOHNSON, 94 – A former Plainview resident, Mr. Johnson died Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Mother Hull Home in Kearney, Nebraska. Prior to his brief stay in the nursing home he had been living with his daughter and family in Kearney and occasionally spent time at his apartment in Westside Park in Loup City, Nebraska. Visitation will be Friday evening, May 13, 2011 from 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at Ashburn Funeral Home and services will be held Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Plainview with burial at the Danish Cemetery southwest of Plainview with military honors by the Plainview American Legion Post #148 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars #5330.

Omar William Johnson was born November 3, 1916 on his family’s farm southwest of Plainview in Antelope County to Ole and Mary (Hansen) Johnson. Omar was the youngest of 9 children. His mother died in childbirth when he was 2 years old and was raised by his father. Growing up, he was a typical boy getting into a lot of mischief with his brothers and often spoke of the pranks they would play on their sisters and the tongue-lashing they would get from his father after the fact. During the Great Depression he left school after the tenth grade to work on the family farm full-time and also worked for other area farmers to help his family financially.


He served in the United States Army from July, 1941 – August, 1945 from which he was honorably discharged. He was stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco, California until 1942 and was then shipped overseas to participate in Operation Torch (the invasion of North Africa). He was part of the Western Task-force under the command of General George S. Patton that landed near Casablanca in Morocco. In January of 1943 while he was stationed in Casablanca one of the most important meetings of the war took place at the Anfa Hotel. The “Casablanca Conference” as it was called involved Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, and de Gaulle. Omar was asked to stand guard for a car for some unknown dignitary. Omar got the shock of his life when that dignitary returned to his car and actually spoke to him and shook his hand telling him he was doing a “good job.” It was only after the car was pulling away that the shock wore off and he realized he had just met the President of the United States. After leaving Casablanca he marched across North Africa and was eventually wounded in a battle along the border of Algeria and Tunisia. He spent time in a field hospital recuperating and due to the extent of his injuries he was unable to remain in the infantry and was sent to France after the D-Day invasion to serve as a driver for an officer. He served in this capacity in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg until the end of the war. He was in Paris for the V-E Day celebration and was also there for V-J Day. Shortly after Japan’s surrender he was sent home.

After returning home he farmed with his brothers for a time and on December 14, 1948 he married Arlene Mader. In 1951, a daughter, Nancy Jolene, was born. Omar and Arlene farmed half a section three miles west and one mile south of Plainview. Arlene passed away in August, 1969. Omar remarried in January, 1971 to Bernice Schilousky and continued to farm until 1979. At that time he retired from farming and he and Bernice moved to Plainview. After Bernice’s death in July, 2003 Omar spent a short time in Plainview and then in late 2003 moved to an apartment in Loup City to be closer to his daughter and family in Kearney. He split time between Kearney and Loup City for the remaining years of his life.

During his years in Kearney he got the opportunity to travel with his family. He took a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark with his daughter Nancy and her husband Claude and his niece Sandra Cumming to see the village where his father Ole was born. This was the most treasured trip of his life. He was able to see the church and baptismal font where his father was baptized and was able to see the home which they lived. His cousins Anton and Annalise Hansen of Denmark hosted them and showed them the sites. On other trips he travelled to the east coast visited Washington, D.C. among other places, he also travelled with his family to the west coast and visited the Presidio for the first time since 1942. He was also able to attend many baseball games in different cities with his grandson Chris and was able to see and do so many things. Over the final seven years of his life he was to more places than he had been in the previous 87 years and that tickled him because he never thought he would have the opportunity to travel to so many places.


Omar was a quiet and gentle man, who never had an unkind word for anyone and was always ready to make people laugh. He loved farming, playing golf, playing cards, loved watching baseball (especially the Atlanta Braves), and enjoyed spending time with his family. He was a member of the Plainview American Legion for over 60 years, the Danish Brotherhood for over 70 years and up until a few years ago when he let his share go, was one of the original members and shareholders in the Plainview Country Club. He also was present when the Johnson family farm was presented an award for 100 years of continuous family ownership and also was a participant in the dedication of the war memorial in honor of Andrew Jackson Higgins in Columbus, Nebraska. He was able to dump sand from the beaches of Morocco at the memorial as part of the ceremony.

He was preceded in death by his parents Ole and Mary, his first wife Arlene, his second wife Bernice, his brothers: Victor, Clinton, Raymond, Harold, and Adolph, his sisters: Carolina (Horst), Valborg (Horst), and Rena (Johnson). Also, his parents-in-law Marion and Lula Mader, brothers-in-law: Karl Hosrt, Louie Horst, Meldy Johnson, and Ranold Wehenkel, sisters-in-law: Alta, Dimer, Delphine, Loretta, Lucille, and Lavina, and a stepdaughter Phyliss Brandt.

He is survived by his daughter Nancy and son-in-law Claude Badura of Kearney, grandson Chris Badura of Kearney, step-daughters and step-sons: Jean (Jim) Wulf of Pierce, Diane (Jim) Anderson of Clearwater, Larry (Bev) Schilousky of Neligh, and Bill (Sharol) Schilousky of Omaha, a sister-in-law Margaret Wehenkel of Orchard, along with 14 grand-children and many great grand-children and great-great grand-children, as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was a humble man to the end and even though he was not one to brag, inside he was deeply proud of all his accomplishments, big and small, especially his biggest – his family – and we will miss him very much! Rest in peace, Omar.

The family requests memorials to be made to the Plainview American Legion Post #148 or the Danish Cemetery Fund.