Vance Johnson passed peacefully on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Dove Health Care, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, at the age of 84. Vance was born to Lawrence and Florence Johnson in Frederic, Wisconsin, on June 20, 1940.
In his early years he attended Danbury Grade School and then graduated from Hinckley High School in 1959. He married in 1959, had two sons and later divorced.
Vance worked in the pulp wood business and then in construction, with increasing responsibilities operating heavy equipment. He worked with some of the best dragline operators, gaining experience laying pipe for city utilities, building roadbeds for interstate highways around the Twin Cities, and federal projects with the Army Corp of Engineers, building levees on the Mississippi River in Iowa.
Vance started his excavating business in the early 1970s and ran his business until 2020. Vance had a talented team of heavy equipment operators. In addition to excavating, he plowed snow for three townships and special projects like the new power system for the Town of Danbury.
In 1976 Vance and Diane (Djock) were married and enjoyed 46 years of marriage until Diane’s passing in 2022. Over the years Vance and Diane wintered in Arizona. They enjoyed road trips, visiting family and friends, spending time with their dogs, hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. Vance loved Diane, family, friends and their pets, and will be greatly missed.
Vance is preceded in death by his wife, Diane (Djock); parents, Lawrence and Florence Johnson; sisters-in-law, Connie Hunt and MaryAnn Kranz; and brother-in-law, Ronnie Djock.
Vance is survived by sons, Greg (Jill) and Bryan; step-daughter, Rhonda Thomas; grandchild, Amanda (David) Chen; grandchildren, Abby Johnson and Angelique Johnson; step-grandchild, Ashley Karl; step-great-granddaughter Olivia Phetteplace; and two great-grandchildren; sisters, Karen (Jim) Garrison, Carlya (Peter) Peterson, Jan (Bob) Hahn and Lynn Johnson; brothers-in-law, Charlie Djock and Bruce (Linda) Djock; sister-in-law, Terri Ackland (Gene); and many nieces, nephews and friends.
The funeral services will be held at Siren Covenant Church, Siren Wisconsin, on Saturday, June 28, with visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. Memorials preferred to Adoray Home Health and Hospice, and Dove Health Care – St. Croix Falls, WI.
