Mary Knox-Johnson was born and raised in Fargo, ND. She attended St. Mary’s Elementary School, Shanley High School, and received both her BA and MA from North Dakota State University. She taught one year at LaMoure High School before returning to West Fargo where she had done her student teaching under Clare Williams Swanberg. During her 30+ years of teaching she has taught just about every class and age group available. She was the recipient of the North Dakota Creative Artist of the Year in 2000, was chosen Theater Director of the Year 4 times, and was inducted into the North Dakota Speech and Theater Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

She married Dwayne Johnson in 1980, and, as she would say, in order to see her husband, he had to come to the theater and become part of that group also, a task he took to heart. She has directed over 100 plays in her career with her husband Dwayne being responsible for designing and building most of the scenery needed. Mary retired in 2003 and within the first year had completed everything on her “bucket list” including a swim with dolphins, visiting an elderly aunt in Georgia, and writing her first children’s book Thoughts from Pudge, A Philosophical Look at Life from a Dog’s Point of View.

Feeling a bit restless and needing to get involved in something again, Mary took an adjunct teaching position in theater at Bemidji State University. For six years she brought to that institution the same kind of dedication that was evident in West Fargo. She also became a member of Bemidji Community Theater and began directing plays again. In the interim she continued to write, producing two more books. Thoughts from Pudge, the Mentoring Continues, and Alphabet Jambalaya, An Alliterative Alphabet Book for the Young and Heart. Currently she is directing Hello, Dolly for Bemidji Community Theater, sits on the board of two theater organizations, and is the president of Gallery North Art Gallery where she sells homemade creations including woven rugs, cards, and origami.