Rurik John Johnson, 62, of Minnetonka, died unexpectedly Aug. 13, 2023. He was born March 25, 1961, in Granite Falls, to Curtis and Mary (Gunelson) Johnson. Rurik was the older brother to Bjorn and Rannveig.
After spending his early years in Renville and Albert Lee, in 1965 the family moved to Roseville where he graduated from Alexander Ramsey High School in 1979.
Rurik attended Augsburg College, then transferred to the University of Minnesota where he earned bachelor’s degrees in geology and geophysics. Not finding the dream job with his degrees, Rurik went to the University of Wisconsin-–River Falls to earn education credits for secondary earth science and math certification. He taught high school math in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin., in 1991 then moved back to Minnesota in 1992 where he taught earth science and math at Plymouth Middle School until the time of his death.
Rurik participated in various organizations, such as NASA for Educators, National Science Teachers Association and American Geological Society.
Rurik was preceded in death by his brother Bjorn Johnson, both sets of grandparents, John and Bessie (Gates) Johnson, and Adolph and Evelyn (Burchedean) Gunelson.
Rurik is survived by his parents Curtis and Mary (Gunelson) Johnson, his sister Rannveig (Dennis) Polinski.
A funeral service was held at St. Timothy Lutheran Church.
