Emil Jacobsen was born on August 8, 1903, to Armus and Elvina Jacobsen. Armus immigrated to the United States from Europe in 1881 and later met and married Elvina in Iowa. The couple settled near Rock Valley, Iowa, where they raised their family. Emil had two sisters, Hilda and Lucile. He attended South Dakota State Agricultural College from 1922 to 1923. Emil later married Ruby Ingebord, and together they had six children: Russel, David, Marilyn, Roy, James, and Stanley. Emil Jacobsen passed away on August 4, 1998.
Dan W. Johnson was born on June 2, 1917, in Ivanhoe, Minnesota, to William and Nora Johnson, owners of the Ivanhoe Times. Following in his family’s footsteps, he pursued a career in journalism, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Minnesota in 1940 and later a Master of Science in Journalism and Political Science from South Dakota State University in 1963. After college, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. While stationed in Europe, he met his future wife, Jeanne, a native of Liverpool, England, and a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. They were married on July 16, 1945, in Antwerp, Belgium. The couple had two children, Craig W. and Judith J.
Johnson devoted his entire professional life to the newspaper industry. He began working at the family paper after high school and later studied journalism at the University of Minnesota. During his military service, he briefly served in the Coast Guard Artillery and was appointed editor of the Narragansett Bay Digest. He also worked in the Counter-Intelligence Corps in the European Theatre. After the war, he returned to the Ivanhoe Times, serving as Associate Editor from 1945 to 1951. He later held positions at the Minneapolis Tribune and the Brookings Register before joining South Dakota State University in 1961 as News Editor. In 1965, he became the Information Officer for the South Dakota Board of Regents.
In 1969, Johnson relocated to Marshall, Minnesota, where he served as Director of News and Publications at Southwest State University until his retirement in 1981. Beyond his university work, he consulted on several community initiatives, including the Brookings senior high school bond issue, the Marshall medical center bond issue, and Schwan’s Sales Enterprises corporate publications. He also contributed columns to the Brookings Register and the Marshall Independent. Dan W. Johnson passed away on December 17, 2001.
Delmar R. Johnson was born on July 17, 1947, in Mitchell, South Dakota. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from South Dakota State University in 1969 and a Master of Education from the same institution in 1991.
Johnson began his career at South Dakota State University in 1969 as a programmer. From 1969 to 1974, he taught mathematics and computer programming. In 1982, he was appointed Co-director of the Computing Center and later became Director of University Computing Services. He served in that role until 2003, when he became Director of Administrative and Research Computing. He played a central role in the development and expansion of the university’s computing infrastructure during a period of significant technological change.
Delmar Johnson retired from South Dakota State University in 2012.
Donald Dale Johnson was born on February 4, 1925, to Adolph and Martha Johnson. A resident of Brookings, South Dakota, he remained unmarried. Johnson preserved family and local history through his contributions to the South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, including the Donald D. Johnson Papers. The collection contains a narrative about his grandfather, Johan Peter Johnson, a Swedish immigrant born in 1854, and a publication titled The Quill from Marion High School dedicated to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Johnson of Hartford, South Dakota.
Henry M. Johnson was born on October 5, 1903, to Ole and Beret Johnson on a farm near Baltic, South Dakota. He was baptized at Old Nidaros Lutheran Church, where he remained a lifelong member. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing throughout his life. On March 14, 1931, he married Inez Erickson at East Nidaros Lutheran Church. The couple lived and farmed on Henry’s family homestead until retiring and moving into the town of Baltic in 1987. They had four sons: Odel, Ivan, Dean, and Jerome. Henry passed away on June 4, 1993, at the Dell Rapids Community Hospital.
Inez O. Erickson Johnson was born on October 31, 1911, in Lake County, South Dakota, to Martin and Julia Erickson. At age eight, she moved with her family to a farm near Baltic. She attended rural school and Baltic Grade School. Inez was baptized at St. Peter Lutheran Church and confirmed at East Nidaros Lutheran Church. She married Henry Johnson on March 14, 1931, and they farmed together until their retirement in 1987. Inez became a resident of Terrace Manor Nursing Home in Dell Rapids on April 28, 1995, and died on May 19, 1995, at Dell Rapids Community Hospital.
A native of O’Neill, Nebraska, Dr. James L. Johnson has had a long career in higher education in South Dakota. He served a total of 38 years in higher education, including 28 years at South Dakota State University, where he joined the Department of Communication Studies and Theatre in the College of Arts and Science in 1973.
During his career, Dr. Johnson directed more than 100 theatrical productions. Through his work with Prairie Repertory Theatre and State University Theatre, he provided students with practical training and performance experience.
Dr. Johnson received several awards and honors, including the Outstanding Teaching Award at the University of Kansas, the Outstanding Educator Award at Dakota State University, the Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award at South Dakota State University, and the Governor’s Award in the Arts in 2001 for Distinction in Creative Achievement, presented by South Dakotans for the Arts and the South Dakota Arts Council.
Dr. W. Carter Johnson is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Ecology at South Dakota State University whose academic career spans more than forty years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Augustana College and a doctorate in botany from North Dakota State University. He began his professional career as a Research Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and later joined the Department of Biology at Virginia Tech. From 1989 to 1995, he served as Head of the Department of Horticulture, Forestry, Landscape, and Parks at South Dakota State University.
Dr. Johnson’s research addresses a wide range of ecological topics, including river regulation and riparian forest ecology, climate change impacts on prairie pothole wetlands, seed dispersal in fragmented landscapes, paleoecology, and multifunctional agriculture. His paleoecological work includes climate reconstruction using tree rings and studies of Holocene seed dispersal and plant migration. His research program has been strongly multidisciplinary and interinstitutional.
He has published approximately one hundred peer reviewed journal articles, as well as books and book chapters. His research on riparian wetlands along the Platte, Missouri, and Snake rivers has contributed to wetland conservation and restoration practices and has been recognized by scientific societies. His work on climate change effects in prairie pothole wetlands has also informed policy discussions related to wetland management and conservation.
In more recent years, Dr. Johnson founded EcoSun Prairie Farms, a nonprofit organization focused on demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of restored prairie wetlands. As a Distinguished Professor Emeritus, he has continued to contribute to ecological research, education, and leadership in conservation initiatives.
Born on April 28, 1895, in Alexandria, South Dakota, Blanche Avery Johnston was a member of the South Dakota State College Class of 1916. Following graduation, she taught home economics in Elgin, Minnesota, from 1916 to 1917. On September 4, 1917, she married Ralph Johnston. The couple lived in Hot Springs, South Dakota, before relocating to Brookings. Ralph Johnston later became the first curator of the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. In recognition of her connection to campus history, Blanche Johnston served as Grand Marshal of the Hobo Day Parade in 1986. She passed away on December 13, 1986.
Susan A. (Sedgwick) Jones was born on January 11, 1844, in North Adams, Massachusetts. She married Henry R. Jones on May 3, 1865, and the couple moved to Clintonville, Wisconsin, in 1866. They had six children: Clara, Lillie, Jessie, Stella, Bert, and an unnamed son. Henry passed away in 1897.
In 1905, Susan and her daughter Jessie moved to South Dakota, where they homesteaded in Hughes County. While Jessie worked to prove her claim, Susan alternated between residing on the claim and returning to Wisconsin during the winter months. During this time, she also taught school in both Wisconsin and South Dakota.
Susan Jones died on June 23, 1925, in Clintonville, Wisconsin.