Annette Johnson

Annette was born in Lake Preston, South Dakota in 1949. She didn’t actually live there though. It was the location of the hospital where she was born. Throughout her life, Annette lived in various cities in South Dakota including Arlington, Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Pierre, and finally, Spearfish. Her parents, Oliver and Mattie, played significant roles in shaping her upbringing. Oliver, a World War II veteran, had traveled to Africa, India, China, and Russia during the war. After returning home, he bought a grocery store in Tea before taking a job at John Morrell’s in Sioux Falls.  Mattie, on the other hand, dedicated herself to being a homemaker until the youngest two were in school. Then she worked and retired from the Veterans Administration Hospital. Annette also has one older brother and three younger sisters.

Interestingly, Annette’s father had a strong dislike for picnics. There was an incident during a picnic at Lake Poinsett that became memorable for Annette. She accidentally walked right through her dad’s plate, causing quite a commotion.

During her schooling years, Annette attended a one-room schoolhouse that had two floors. In one memorable class, she sat behind a boy and gave him a little haircut.

When Annette reached sixth grade in Sioux Falls, she loved playing outdoors. However, there was a rule that girls were not allowed to play a softball game called Work Up. Annette tried to persuade Bryce to let her play, but when he refused, she resorted to punching him in the face. Annette had a passion for various sports, including basketball, volleyball, track, softball, and gymnastics. Her favorite sport was always the one they were currently playing. She greatly valued teachers who showed kindness and gentleness, helping her understand better ways of doing things and treating students as individuals with unique needs.

In 1967, Annette graduated from Sioux Falls Washington High School. During the summers, she worked at the Girl Scout Camp and John Morrell’s Meat Processing Plant to earn money for her college education. Annette graduated from Northern State (College) University in 1971. She began her teaching career in Spearfish in the Fall of 1971. Annette’s favorite teaching moments were when they added lifetime activities like orienteering, cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, and various outdoor sports to the Physical Education Curriculum.

Although Annette has not faced significant disappointments in life, she always strives to make the best of challenging situations. She finds strength in staying connected with her friends and family for support. After living in Spearfish for 52 years, Annette truly appreciates the mild climate, the beauty of the outdoors, and the warm and welcoming community. Her advice to young people is to stay true to themselves, not to be overwhelmed by the internet, and to have a clear understanding of their own identities and beliefs.

Annette’s proudest moments often involve her family, friends, and students. Even as a spectator at Spearfish activities, she finds joy in supporting and cheering for others. Annette believes in doing things for others, whether it’s making a simple phone call, giving someone a ride, or volunteering in the community. She dislikes traffic, road construction, and the behavioral changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Annette’s passion for South Dakota’s history, stemming from her Danish and Swedish ancestry, leads her to explore topics such as her uncle Albert from Badger, the first white child born in Kingsbury County, cattle ranches, and the resilience of people during times of hardship. She is a devoted fan of sports teams like the Spartans, Twins, and Vikings. Annette treasures her family, friends, and her rescue pets. She fondly remembers Ruby the dog, who was a sassy talker with a mind of her own, and a boxer named Bentley who loved cuddling. Her three cats, Oliver, Smokey and Bandit all had interesting personalities as well.

One of Annette’s notable achievements was to initiate the basketball, volleyball and gymnastics programs at Spearfish High School. These interscholastic sports used the already established Girls Athletic Association or GAA as their springboard to get started. GAA met one night a week for an hour or longer to encourage the girls to participate in a variety of sport related activities. She witnessed significant changes brought about by Title IX, which granted equal opportunities in sports.

Annette has had the opportunity to travel to Sweden, Denmark, and Greece. On her bucket list, she hopes to revisit Sweden and Denmark to explore her roots and also visit Lapland to see reindeer. The wisdom she wishes to share with others is to seize opportunities, overcome the fear of failure, embrace change, and challenge oneself to learn something new.