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Rev. John C. Johnson

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Rev. John C. Johnson
The Rev. John C. Johnson, World War II veteran, retired USAF major, retired professor, and beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2019. He was with his daughter, Jana, and her husband, John Mason, in their home at his passing. He celebrated his 95th birthday on Easter Sunday. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Helen M. Johnson. John was born in Bloomington, California to W.O. and Ethel Johnson and raised in Texas near Millsap and Weatherford. He attended Peaster High School followed by Weatherford College before he entered the Army during WWII in 1943. He served in the Army until he was honorably discharged at the end of WWII. His service in the 20th Armored Division resulted in the receipt of a Bronze Star. Before deployment to the European theater, he attended Indiana University where he met a young coed, Helen Martin. Their romance continued by mail and in August 1946 she came to Texas to be wed. They would spend the next 64 years together. John completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth and then attended Perkins School of Theology at SMU in Dallas. His first church was Aledo United Methodist Church. Following his graduation from seminary, he was assigned to churches in New Mexico where his first child, Christa, was born in 1951. He decided to enter the U.S. Air Force in 1952 where he served as a Chaplain for about 20 years. During that time, he was stationed in many states and countries, moving about every 2 ½ years. Daughter, Jana, was added to the family in 1957. He retired in 1970 and returned to his hometown of Weatherford. There he soon became employed at his alma mater, Weatherford College, where he would work as a psychology professor for the next 30 years. During that time, he also served many rural churches as pastor. He continued to minister to various rural churches until he was 90 years old. Even then, he never stopped visiting former parishioners and volunteering at hospitals, and for committees with the Methodist Church, as well as with alumni and retired teacher’s associations. He remained fully active and living independently until December 2016 when illness led to the development of dementia. From that time until his passing, he was cared for by his two daughters, and his granddaughter, Rebecca. He is survived by his daughters, Christa Mars and husband, John, and Jana and John Mason; his grandchildren, Erin Lasyone and son-in-law, Shaun, Patrick Mars, Rachel, Rebecca, and Nicole Mason; three great-grandsons, Ryland, Maddox, and Holden Lasyone; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 31, at White’s Funeral Home in Weatherford. His Celebration of Life will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at Aledo United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Poe Prairie Cemetery, Millsap.  He will have Military Funeral Honors. White’s Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials:  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Methodist Children’s Home or your favorite charity.

The Community News May 31, 2019

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