Johnson Funeral Service: Thief River Falls, MN Funeral Home
Johnson Funeral Service: A Family Owned Funeral Home in Thief River Falls, MN
Johnson Funeral Service is a family owned and operated funeral home based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. It serves families in the Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls and Oklee areas of northwest Minnesota, with a branch in Oklee. The funeral home provides traditional funerals, cremation options, preplanning, and grief support resources for the communities it serves.
History of Johnson Funeral Service
The funeral home’s roots go back to the Green Funeral Home in Newfolden, Minnesota, started by Olger Green. His son Orin joined the family business in 1954 and established the business in Thief River Falls. The funeral home operated at 321 North Main until 1964, when it moved into a newly built funeral home at its current location, 420 North LaBree Avenue.
In 1971, Gordon Peterson joined the Green family and became a partner with Orin until Orin retired in 1991. Gordon continued to operate the business until 2001, when he sold it to Eric and Erling Johnson, and the name was changed to Johnson-Green Funeral Service. Today the business operates as Johnson Funeral Service and remains family owned and operated.
One distinctive piece of its history is on display at the Thief River Falls funeral home: a restored horse-drawn hearse, originally built in the late 1700s or early 1800s and restored in 1985, kept in a display building on the north side of the property.
Services Offered
Johnson Funeral Service lists a full range of funeral and memorial services on its official website:
- Traditional funerals
- Memorial services
- Graveside ceremonies
- Military services
- Basic and full service cremation options
- Preplanning (pre-arrangement) services
- Monuments and markers
- Tribute videos
- Personalized funeral bulletins and thank you cards
- Collaboration with other funeral homes for families served elsewhere
The website also publishes current obituaries and offers veteran information guidance and grief support resources for families after the service.
Locations
- Thief River Falls — 420 North LaBree Avenue, Thief River Falls, Minnesota (the funeral home’s home since 1964)
- Oklee Branch — serving the Oklee area
Families can reach the funeral home through the contact form on its official website, johnsonfuneralservice.com, which also has an “Immediate Need” contact option for urgent situations.
The Team
The funeral home is led by owners and funeral directors Eric Johnson and Erling Johnson, who purchased the business in 2001. Erling Johnson has been a licensed funeral director in Minnesota and North Dakota since 1994, and Eric Johnson was raised in a funeral home family in Parshall, North Dakota. They are supported by licensed funeral directors Jana Martin (with the firm since 2009), Anders Macy and Emily Johnson, along with office and support staff.
Preplanning at Johnson Funeral Service
Under its “Plan For Peace of Mind” preplanning program, families can arrange funeral details in advance through the funeral home’s website. Preplanning lets a person record their own wishes for a funeral, memorial or cremation service ahead of time, so family members are not left guessing during a difficult moment.
FAQs
Where is Johnson Funeral Service located?
Its main funeral home is at 420 North LaBree Avenue in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, with a branch in Oklee. It serves the Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls and Oklee areas of northwest Minnesota.
Is Johnson Funeral Service family owned?
Yes. The business describes itself as family owned and operated. Owners Eric and Erling Johnson bought it in 2001 from Gordon Peterson; its roots trace back to the Green Funeral Home.
What services does Johnson Funeral Service offer?
Traditional funerals, memorial services, graveside ceremonies, military services, basic and full service cremation, preplanning, monuments and markers, tribute videos, and personalized funeral bulletins and thank you cards.
Can I preplan a funeral with Johnson Funeral Service?
Yes. The funeral home offers a preplanning program through its website so arrangements can be made in advance.
Does Johnson Funeral Service publish obituaries?
Yes. Current obituaries are published on its official website, johnsonfuneralservice.com.
The Bottom Line
Johnson Funeral Service is a family owned funeral home with deep roots in northwest Minnesota, serving Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls and Oklee from its longtime home on North LaBree Avenue. With full funeral, cremation and preplanning services — and a history stretching back to the Green Funeral Home of the 1950s — it remains an established part of the communities it serves.
