Bret Johnson

Bret Johnson of Vadnais Heights, MN died peacefully surrounded by his family on June 19, 2015 after battling melanoma for six years. Bret was born on August 13, 1970 in Jamestown, ND, the son of Doug and Judy Johnson. Bret and brother Paul were raised in Jamestown and Bret graduated from Jamestown High School in 1988. He studied Civil Engineering at the University of North Dakota and worked for Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH) where he led the design of a multitude of state and county highway projects throughout Minnesota. In addition to managing projects, he was an important leader within the company, serving on the Board of Directors and leading the Transportation Practice within SEH.

A devoted father, Bret showered his children Gavin and Skylar with love. He never missed one of their sports games or activities, even when his treatments made that difficult. Bret nurtured their individual personalities and encouraged them to always do their best. He always had a kind word for them about jobs well-done and reminded them often of how proud he was of them. His most favorite past times almost always included his children, whether it was exploring the outdoors at the cabin, playing hockey, watching movies or playing games. There was nothing Bret enjoyed more than being around his kids.

Bret always cast a wide net in his pursuit of fun. He enjoyed an eclectic mix of music, and loved playing his guitars in the basement. He had a passion for playing almost any sport, but had a special place in his heart for hockey. He was thrilled that both of his kids have chosen to lace up and follow his lead. He loved watching the Vikings and the Wild, both in person and at home in front of his big screen television. The cabin was a special place for him, a place of refuge, where he could get in touch with nature, while spending quality time with friends and family. He was a creative man who loved to build things with his own hands, write poetry and short stories, and sketch.

Bret is survived by his adoring wife Brenda (nee Carlson); and two wonderful children, Gavin and Skylar; parents, Doug and Judy Johnson; brother, Paul Johnson; mother-in-law, Marlys Carlson; sister-in-law, Arlene (Dick) O'Connell; nephews, Brice (Stephen Pegelow) O'Connell, and Jared (Kimberly Frisbee) O'Connell; and great-nieces, Olivia and Adalyn O'Connell. Bret's life will be celebrated at the Dellwood Country Club, 29 East Hwy. 96, Dellwood, MN 55110 on Wednesday, June 24, 2015. Visitation begins at 3pm with a memorial service beginning at 4pm. Please join us in sharing memories and stories about Bret at the reception following the memorial service until 8pm. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Melanoma Research Foundation.