Justin Richard Johnson

Justin Richard Johnson, (JJ), age 42, passed away on June 25, 2023, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Justin was born to Gary Johnson and Sandy (Sutich) (Johnson) Smeltzer on January 19,1981, in Aitkin, MN.  Justin attended Rippleside Elementary School and graduated from Aitkin High School in 1999.  Justin was active in high school athletics. He was devoted to football and basketball. Growing up at Aitkin Lanes he developed a love for bowling. He achieved his 300 game in Las Vegas on a team with his dad and brother. The legacy continued as his Grandpa Joe, his dad Gary, and brother Trevor, had all rolled 300s.  After high school he went on to attend Bemidji State University and the University of Arizona, Phoenix.  He moved to Texas, then on to Las Vegas where he worked at various jobs. He moved back to the Aitkin area in 2016. Justin resided at MN Adult-Teen Challenge in Brainerd from 2016-2017. He graduated in June 2017. He was featured as a soloist in many of their performances as the group toured Minnesota spreading the word of God and sharing their personal challenges.  Justin had a beautiful singing voice. He performed in the High School Musicals, The Secret Garden and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. He went on to perform professionally in Las Vegas theater and surrounding community theater. Roles included performances in Children of Eden, Tommy Boy, Oklahoma, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, and The Sound of Music. Justin sang at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas.

Family was important to Justin. He was a great son, grandson, brother, nephew, uncle and cousin. He had a soft spot in his heart for those who were down trodden. He referred to them as “his peeps”. Justin had a special bond with his brother, Trevor. They shared many life experiences including rooming together in Vegas. Where you found one, you found the other. No one was more supportive than Trevor. Justin never missed a birthday dinner or family celebration at Aunt Eva’s. He was close to his “Grandma Grump” and Grandma Johnson. Justin loved the traditional potato sausage making at the Holidays with his Uncle Rocky and Aunt Fern. He cherished his time at Lone Lake with Brien and his mother.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Marion Sutich and Joseph and Donna Johnson. 

Justin is survived by his parents Gary Johnson and Sandy and Brien Smeltzer, his step-mother, Sharon Johnson, one brother Trevor Johnson, step brother and sister Todd Swedberg and Teri Zoellner, nieces Tessa and Tenley Johnson, cousins Joseph and Rebekah White, Jackie (Chris) Rahnasto, their children Brinley, Evan and Allison (Ali) Shah and their children Jacob and Noah, uncle and aunt Richard (Rocky) Fern Sutich, aunt Eva White, and grandparents, Glen and Dorothy Smeltzer. He is also survived by his dear friend Kelsey Adams, many other special relatives and friends. Justin loved his cat, Cinder, who was his constant companion.

A Memorial service will be 1:00pm – Saturday, July 8, 2023, at First Lutheran Church in Aitkin. Visitation  will be 1 hour prior to the service at the church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Adult-Teen Challenge, Brainerd, MN.  Go to www.srtfuneral.com to leave a message of condolence.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Justin Richard Johnson, please visit our floral store.