Dagney Christine Johnson was born on May 15, 1911 the fifth daughter of George and Albertina (Olson) Johnson. She attended Longfellow School District #6 where at the age of ten and again at eleven, she won the Mahnomen County spelling contest and represented the county at the Winter Shows in Crookston, MN. Dagney worked for her room and board while attending high school, graduating at the age of sixteen in 1927. At Moorhead State she earned her elementary teachers certificate then taught school in Mahnomen County for seven years.
On December 28, 1935 Dagney was united in marriage to Earl Neumann at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen. In 1940, they purchased a farm two miles south of Mahnomen and several years later they bought the neighboring farm. Together they were blessed with three sons: David, Darrell and Duane. They were both active in the community, being honored as Mahnomen County Farmer and Homemaker of the Year at the Crookston Winter Shows in 1963. In later years they sold their livestock making it possible to winter in Texas for thirty years. They lived on their farm until Earl’s death at Christmas 2001.
Dagney coached the 4-H Club One Act Plays for many years and many times presented those plays at Crookston competing with other northwest counties. She also served as President and Treasurer of A.L.C. Women of First Lutheran Church and also directed the churches Junior Choir for fourteen years. For several years, Dagney was a Federal Livestock and Crop Reporter for northern Minnesota. She also worked in the County Treasurer’s Office, serving as Deputy Treasurer for a time. Dagney was a beautiful seamstress, there wasn’t anything that she couldn’t sew or alter. She also loved playing cards and was a member of a bridge club in Mahnomen for many years. Dagney had moved to Barnesville, MN the winter of 2002 where she enjoyed playing whist at the Barnesville Senior Center. After a fall in October of 2007, she moved to the Mahnomen Health Care Nursing Home, where she was a resident until her death.
Dagney is survived by son, Duane (Bonnie) Neumann of Mahnomen; daughter-in-law, Phyllis Neumann of Barnesville; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Dagney was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-five years, Earl; two sons, Darrell and David; her parents; five sisters and two brothers.
Funeral services were held Friday, October 30, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen. Visitation took place two hours prior to the service on Friday at the church. Officiating was Pastor John Lee with Diane Kochmann as pianist. Tom Herme, Dave Kochmann, and Duane Rossett provided special music. Pallbearers were Curt Stetz, Pat Mulcahy, Jon Neumann, Christopher Neumann, Andrew Neumann and Nickolas Neumann.
Interment was at Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery in Mahnomen, MN.
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