Leila Johnson, age 80 of Bottineau, died Monday at a Bottineau hospital.  Her funeral will be held on Friday at 11:00 am at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.  Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Leila Joyce (Thom) Johnson passed away peacefully on Monday March 5, 2018. Leila was born the daughter of Martin and Ruth (Myles) Thom on July 27, 1937 in rural Kramer. She attended a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Kramer High School. She graduated with a business degree from the North Dakota School of Forestry in Bottineau.

Leila married Lester E. (Red) Johnson in Kramer on April 18, 1958. They lived in Mayville, Grand Forks, and Bisbee before making their home in Bottineau, where they raised their four children.

Leila worked for Dr. Melvey, the Bottineau Country Club, Larson Insurance Agency, and Bottineau County Abstract Co. She served her community for many years by being one of the first women to serve on the Bottineau Public School board, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, and she always had the coffee pot on for friends and family.

Her quick wit and passion for all card games, dice games, Scrabble, puzzles and reading brought her many hours of enjoyment. When you mixed family and friends in with these activities, it made it all the better. She held her family close and will be missed by all.

She is survived by her husband, Red; her children, Doreen (Pat) Slifka, Douglas Johnson, Myrna (Joe) Heegard, Matthew (Myra) Johnson; grandchildren, Dee (Mike) Vanhove, Jordan Johnson, Stephanie (Jason) Farley, Zachary Slifka, Jonna (Carson) Hruby, Adrienne Stout, Jillian Stout, Jeremy Johnson, and Shelby Johnson; great grandchildren, Haidyn, Carson, and Caleb Farley, Grantley Johnson, and Leila Hruby; siblings, Marvin (Harriet) Thom, Darlyne Froseth, Mark Thom; brothers-in-law, Lloyd (Bonnie) Johnson, Otto (Jan) Johnson; sisters-in-law, Virginia Johnson, Kerin (Bill) Bymark, Avis Johnson, Nancy Johnson and many nieces and nephews.

Leila was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Wilma Gust.

Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.  Friends may sign the online register book at www.nerofuneralhome.net.