Arlis Evon Johnson

Arlis Evon (Sorensen) Johnson, 86, of Vermillion, South Dakota passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on November 8, 2021 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton after a lengthy illness. Arlis was born November 5, 1935 to Harry and Clara Sorensen in Burbank, South Dakota. She grew up south of Vermillion on the farm with her family and attended the Island School from first grade to eighth grade. She graduated from Vermillion High School in 1953 and was a University of South Dakota graduate of 1957 majoring in Home Economics and minoring in Spanish. She taught school in Marcus, Iowa for a year until she met Daryl Johnson whom she married on October 11, 1958 and decided to become a farm wife. Arlis helped Daryl with farming and raising of their 4 children whom they were blessed with. When the children were older, she worked at a few businesses such as the Klothes Kloset, Johnson Law Firm and at the Vermillion Ford as a receptionist for 15 years. She also enjoyed working as a travel counselor at the Homestead Information Center for ten years. Working at the information center was a treat for her in meeting and talking to people from all over the country who were passing through. She was a lifetime member of the Trinity Lutheran Church and served as a volunteer on several boards with the church such as the Alter Guild, funerals, and the church newsletter. Shew was also a member of several clubs, such as the Hillside Extension Club, Bluff Road Birthday Club, Do Nothing Club and a few others. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, gardening, and being around her family, especially the grandkids enlightening them with stories of her past as well as listening to their stories of the present. Arlis is survived by her husband, Daryl and four children, son, Craig (Christine) Johnson of Vermillion, and daughters, Shelley (David) Draucker of Troy, Illinois, Tamara (Nathan) Stormo of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and Rebecca Harge of Denever, Colorado. She also has 9 grandchildren; Tanya, Bryan, Kyle, Drew, Brooke, Erica, Courtney, Jeremiah, and John as well as 8 great-grandchildren, Nora, Theodore, Natalie, Cody, Bentley, Ruby, Lilly, Tommy, and we can’t forget Junior, the dog. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Clara Sorensen, sisters, Betty Ann Sorensen, Norma Jean Mockler, and a family friend, Lillian Williams.