Gerald "Gerry" Francis Johnson

Gerald “Gerry” Francis Johnson was born on July 10, 1935, and passed away at home with family on October 13, 2023. He was the eldest of two children of Sigurd Johnson and Olga Johnson of Tiger Butte.

Gerry attended grade school at the Belt Custer School, and he attended Belt Valley High School and graduated in 1953. Gerry was active in the Boy Scouts, baseball, basketball, football, and track. He was member of the Letterman’s Club, Future Farmers of America and 4-H. Gerry was active on the Student Council and served as Class Vice-President and Class President.

Gerry was known for his pitching and pitched for Belt Town team starting when he was in high school, and he was famous for his killer “Fork Ball” no one could hit. He was asked to try out for several professional teams including the Dodgers and the Orioles. He attended Montana State University in Bozeman where he played for the Bobcat Baseball team, and he was a member of the AGR Fraternity.

He was drafted into the Army and served in post-war Korea where he was a star pitcher that played baseball throughout the theater. Upon returning home to Tiger Butte from Korea he met Jean Bruce and they were married in 1962. He ranched and started a family in Tiger Butte where he raised registered Hereford bulls, cattle, pigs and farmed. He ranched for over forty years in Tiger Butte, and he was cattle buyer for Foot Hills Livestock and a crop adjuster.

Gerry continued to play for Belt Town Teams and refereed High School basketball. He supported his children’s participation in 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and Belt school sports and activities. Upon retirement from ranching, he pursued his love of art by completing hundreds of paintings, drawings, and sketches of Tiger Butte and Montana Western life.

Gerald is survived by his sons, Rolf, Eric, and Jaye Johnson; daughter, Sally (Merle) Fraser all of Belt; and his sister, Marlys Hall.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean and parents, Sigurd and Olga Johnson.

A funeral liturgy will be held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Belt, MT on Friday, October 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.