Elsie Catherine (Risse) Johnson was born January 7, 1928, to Frank and Anna Risse on the family farm near Rogers, Nebraska. Elsie died October 15, 2016 at Fountain Springs Healthcare in Rapid City, South Dakota. In 1932, Elsie’s family moved to a farm southwest of Martin, South Dakota. Along with her family she spoke only German until starting school at age five. She attended the Little White River School and after completing eighth grade stayed home for two years to help her parents on the farm. She completed high school at St. Agnes Academy in Alliance, Nebraska where she graduated in 1947. After graduation she taught school in Nenzel, Nebraska for two years. In 1948, Elsie met her future husband Wendell Johnson at a Veteran’s Day dance. Elsie’s brother Ed introduced them to each other. While Wendell served in the US Army in Salzburg, Austria, Elsie attended St. Francis Nursing School in Grand Island, Nebraska for three years and graduated as a registered nurse in 1953. On Wendell’s return, they were married on September 1, 1953. Elsie and Wendell lived and raised their children Wayne, Patti, Susan, Rodney and Jeff on the family farm east of Vetal, South Dakota. Elsie was devoted to her family, the farm and the nursing profession, working at the hospital in Martin until retiring at age sixty. Elsie was an excellent cook and baker and her family all had their favorites. You never left her house hungry. She loved gardening and spending time in her flower gardens where she had endless colors of tulips and roses. Elsie spent many years compiling family genealogy and she was the family resource person regarding names, dates, birthdays, etc. Elsie wrote “everything down.” No detail was too small. After retiring from nursing, she began quilting and made over fifty quilts which she gave to family members. Elsie and Martha partnered against Wendell and Jimmie and routinely played pinochle throughout the years. Yes, she saved the scores from hundreds of games. Elsie loved her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She spent endless hours following and helping with school, sports, 4-H and church activities. Elsie was preceeded in death by her husband Wendell, parents Frank and Anna Risse, brother Dave Risse, sister and brother-in-law Martha and Jimmie O’Neill, sister-in-law Gloria Risse. Elsie is survived by children Wayne and Karmen (King) Johnson- Nolan, Natalie, and Newt Johnson; Patti (Johnson) and John Erpenbach- Andy and Tom Erpenbach; Susan (Johnson) Pribil,-Dan and Matt Pribil, Nicole (Pribil) and Trevor Anderson, Grace, Sam, Miles and Ben Anderson; Rod Johnson- Whitney, Grant, and Seth Johnson, Meredith (Johnson) and Casey Parker, Everett and Arden Parker; Jeff and Lonna (Ellis) Johnson-Bo and Annie Johnson. She is also survived by siblings Ed Risse, Chuck (Jane) Risse, Rita (Art) McDonald, and sister-in-law Joyce Risse.