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1934 Donald 2025

Donald Dixon Johannesen

June 23, 1934 — April 2, 2025

Rutland

On April 2, 2025, Donald D. Johannesen passed away peacefully in the presence of his wife and daughter.  He was born in Detroit, MI on June 23, 1934 to Rolf Thorlief Horn Johannesen and Jennie Grace (Dixon) Johannesen, and grew up there with his brothers Rolf and Eric.  He graduated from Michigan Technological University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.  The University and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan retained a special place in his heart throughout his life.

Following graduation, he moved to South Bend, Indiana to start work at Bendix as an automobile brake designer.  He remained with this company (which ultimately became Allied Signal, then Honeywell) until his retirement.  By the time of his retirement, he had earned 48 patents for developments in brake design.  When he was driving, he was always proud to point out which cars used his brakes.  The brakes in his granddaughter’s first car had been designed by him!

In 1960, he met his wife Betty (Bumbaugh) at a gathering of friends on the shore of Lake Michigan.  An instant connection, they were married a few short months later on April 29, 1961.    From that point on, it became impossible to talk about one without thinking of the other.  Don and Betty moved through life utterly connected to one another.  They settled into a home in South Bend, IN and remained in that city for most of the rest of their lives.  They raised two children there, Jennie Johannesen and David Johannesen.  As a father, he was a loving, thoughtful man who took every opportunity to instill a love of nature, and a sense of caring and responsibility in his children.  He will always be remembered by them as a kind and gentle soul who cared for and supported them throughout life.  He will be deeply missed by them.

Retirement brought a new chapter and new experiences to Don’s life.  He liked to tell how he discovered Norwegian Flat Plane Figure Carving while accompanying Betty to a weaving class in Norway.  Carving became a passion for him and he created more than a hundred figures he happily shared with those in his life.  His carving talents eventually expanded to include gorgeously hand carved pieces of furniture.  This remained his passion to the end of his life.

During retirement, Don’s family grew to include 4 grandchildren, Annika, Maia, Hannah and Kjersti, all of whom were born and grew up in Vermont.  Some of their favorite memories of him include trips to the South Bend Potowatami Zoo, and pumpkin carving in Fall in Vermont.  Eventually, this family connection drove him and Betty to leave their beloved South Bend and relocate to Vermont.  Though they spent their last years in Vermont, South Bend always had their hearts.  In the last year and a half, a new arrival to the family brought joy to Don and Betty’s lives.  A great-grandson, Theodore Aloysius Conway Schnell arrived!  Teddy was truly Don’s pride and joy and he loved telling everyone he knew, shaking his head in disbelief, that he was a great-grandfather.

Don is survived by his wife, Betty (Bumbaugh) of Rutland, VT, daughter Jennie Johannesen (Matthew Conway) of Mendon, VT, son David Johannesen (Paty Nava-Diaz) of Beach Park, IL, and four granddaughters, Annika Conway Schnell (Peter Schnell) of Westport, ME, Hannah Conway of Boulder, Co, Maia Conway of Biddeford, ME and Kjersti Conway of Biddeford, ME.  He is also survived by his great grandson, Theodore Conway Schnell (Teddy).  He was predeceased by his parents, and brothers Rolf B. Johannesen and C. Eric Johannesen.

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