Barbara “Barb” Louise Johnson (Spillane-Aulwes)

Barbara "Barb" Louise Johnson (Spillane-Aulwes), age 75 of Richfield, MN passed away quietly in her sleep surrounded by her family early Thursday, January 7th, 2021 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

Funeral services will be April 17, 2021, at Morris Nilsen Funeral Chapel in Richfield, MN. Due to COVID restrictions, this will be limited to family only. The family will have a celebration luncheon following the service & burial.

Barb was born in Minneapolis, MN on April 19, 1945, to John and Vernette (Ward) Spillane. She grew up in Richfield, MN with her four sisters Mary Jo (Cummins), Trish (Hanson), Kathleen (Pomerleau) and Anne Marie (Fashant) where she attended St. Peter’s and graduated from The Academy of Holy Angels in 1963. She then attended Minnesota School of Business. She married Mark Koster in 1967 in California. Upon his death in 1968 Barb moved back to Minneapolis and began a new chapter in her life. Barb married Frederick “Fred” Aulwes in 1969. They resided in Eagan, MN with their three children, Anne Marie, Paulette and Frederick John. Barb moved to Devils Lake, ND to be with her sister, Trish (Spillane), and brother-in-law, Earl Hanson, in 1983 where she earned her AA degree from Lake Region Community College and worked at the Hanson House 313 where she was an integral part of the restaurant’s success. People would often request Barb as their server as she treated every single customer as a family friend, so much so that one patron wrote a poem about her. She then met and married Harley Johnson in 1990 until his death in 1992. Barb moved to Joliet, Il. in 1995 to be near her daughter, Anne Marie, and son-in-law, Michael Hoeg, and three grandchildren: Tyler, Zach, and Abbie, whom she adored and spoiled, for the next 23 years.

Barbara spent many years working for Comfort Keepers, in Illinois, caring for the elderly. She had an amazing charm and wonderful way about her when it came to taking care of and spending time with older adults. She also had an intense love for animals and began her own business of caring for pets. There wasn’t a street she would walk along without having a pocket full of dog treats to pass out. Her many nieces and nephews will always remember their Auntie Barb as someone who was infinitely supportive, loving, who always had gum, and who would sneak money into their pockets when she said good-bye after a visit.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Harley Johnson; parents, John and Vernette Spillane (Ward); and brother-in-law, Earl (Trish) Hanson.

Barbara is survived by her three children, Anne Hoeg, Paulette (Jason) Gillespie, John (Julienne) Aulwes; three grandchildren; one great-granddaughter, Ryan; four sisters; brothers-in-law, Tom Cummins, Rich Pomerleau, and Dan Fashant; and many grateful nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors.

Barb’s family is eternally grateful for the care and support of the staff at Gracewood Advanced Assisted Living and Memory Care in St. Paul.