Deane Johnson

Deane Johnson grew up in Grand Forks, ND, and has lived and traveled throughout northern Minnesota. Drawn to the lakes and woods of Park Rapids, MN, he and his wife Jill have lived there since 1980. A retired family physician, he was a founding member of the Jackpine Writers’ Bloc, plays clarinet and saxophone, and is active in a number of musical groups. He was a co-owner of Beagle Books of Park Rapids with his wife, Jill, a store that remains in operation with other owners as Beagle and Wolf Books and Bindery. After serving as photographer and editorial assistant for Jill’s first book, Little Minnesota: 100 Towns Around 100, he wrote and photographed The Best of Itasca: A Guide to Minnesota's Oldest State Park. Minnesota's premier state park since 1891, Itasca's rich natural and human history has led to many related projects and speaking engagements to local and regional groups.

In writing Little Minnesota: 100 Towns Around 100, Jill was struck by the number of men who died in war from these tiny towns, and this led her to their next project, Little Minnesota in World War II. Following endless hours of research and complex editing of historic photos and battle accounts, this work finally reached the shelves in September, 2017. We are often asked what's next, which is a little like asking someone who has just delivered a baby, when is the next one coming? But there will be something, no doubt.