Red Lake Falls – Herbert Raymond Johanneck, 83, of Red Lake Falls, passed away September 3, 2023 in the memory care unit at Villa St. Vincent in Crookston with family by his side. He was a loving father and devoted husband of strong moral and Christian conviction. His love, wit and unwavering support for his family and friends is deeply missed by those who truly knew him.
Herbert was born March 13, 1940, to Raymond Alois Johanneck and Gladys Ruth (Peterson) Johanneck at the hospital in Thief River Falls. He was raised on the family farm in Gervais Township and attended St. Joseph Catholic School and Lafayette High School.
After a brief time in the United States Navy working as an aviation metalsmith and a stint in the John Deere foundry in Waterloo, IA, Herb returned to Red Lake Falls and married the love of his life, Lois Yvonne Peterson on October 6, 1962. First born Tammy Jane arrived in November 1963 followed by Daniel Ray in November of 1965 and lastly, Donald Leon in September of 1966.
Herb was industrious, inventive, and enjoyed working with his hands. He invented an automated tank forming machine that he sold to St. Hilaire Supply, developed an assembly line process for making compact garages for mobile homes, modified Arctic Cat snowmobile skid frames for customers until the company adopted his design, and owned and operated Herb’s Plumbing and Heating for many years.
Herb traveled to Texas to learn plaster casting and in 1972 began manufacturing plasterware under the name Whitestone Décor Products. While Lois ran the successful plaster business, Herb put together a crew and started putting up pole sheds all over Red Lake and surrounding counties.
When the pole shed market waned, Herb and Lois purchased the former Co-Op store on the North side of Red Lake Falls to sell groceries and provide meat processing. After the store was sold in 1994, Herb was asked to manage the glazing of the new Earth System Sciences building on the UND campus in Grand Forks. Although he had no experience with glass work, the huge job was completed in record time with the highest quality workmanship and would become one of his proudest achievements. He then went to work as the general manager of The Homark Company for a brief time and in 1996, purchased a Woodmizer bandmill which he operated until his retirement at the age of seventy-eight. He was known everywhere as The Sawmill Guy. He loved taking felled trees and generating as much lumber as possible from each log. Countless thousands of board feet were sawn for people all over Northern Minnesota.
Herb and Lois dedicated much of their lives to Christian work including Marriage Encounter, Cursillo, Catechism and Teens Encounter Christ programs. Their doors were always open to friends, family and “strays.” In the community, Herb helped start the local flying and snowmobile clubs and served on the City Council.
He is survived by his wife, Lois; children, Tammy Vatthauer and Don and Kathie (Dellwo) of Red Lake Falls, Dan and Jodi (Moen) of Crookston; grandchildren, Kylie Vatthauer, Emily (Andrew) Larson, Hunter Vatthauer, Staci (Mike) Collison, Nathan, Leah, Raymond and Mya; greatgrandchildren, Jack and Lillian Larson, Emmett and Theo Collison; siblings, Gerald, Carol Audette, James (Waivel) and Joseph (Penny).
He was preceded in death by his sister, Jean Hagl; and infant siblings, John and Marion; brothers-in-law, Don Hagl and LeRoy Audette; sister-in-law, Jacqueline; and granddaughter, Amanda.
Memorial Mass of Christian Burial for Herb will be held 11 a.m. on Friday, September 29, 2023 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls, with Father Bob Schreiner officiating and John Bruggeman Deacon. Burial will be held at a later date at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery near Red Lake Falls.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 28, 2023 starting at 4 p.m. until the prayer service at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.
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