Darrel Allen Johnson (1943-2021)

JOHNSON

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/10/2021 at 19:08:44

DARREL ALLEN JOHNSON
Marion

Darrel Allen Johnson, 77, went to be with the Lord on Feb. 6, 2021, due to complications of Alzheimer's disease at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, Iowa. The earthly body was cremated. A private Celebration of Life will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.
Darrel is survived by his wife, Joanne; children, Rebekah and Keith (Cristina); grandchildren, Micah and Silas; brothers, Larry (Kathy), Roland "Ron" (Jeanne) and Myron "Mike" (Karen); nieces and nephews; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Dianne Kay, in infancy.
Darrel was born June 23, 1943, in Opstead, Minn., to parents Elva Ree Johnson and Albert Myron Johnson. Darrel attended Central Grade School and Isle High School. On June 19, 1965, Darrel married Joanne Roseberg in Opstead, Minn. They lived in Minnesota for a year, then moved to Portland, Ore., where he attended Multnomah School of the Bible. After an interruption for basic training with the Army Reserves, Darrel graduated from Multnomah with a bachelor of religious education and from Warner Pacific College with a bachelor's of science in the psychology of counseling.
Darrel and Joanne were then in the ministry for the next 18 years in various positions and places. Darrel was the director of Christian Education and Youth at Highland Park Evangelical Free Church in Columbus, Neb. He moved from there to Aurora, Neb., to work as director of Christian Education and Church Extension (CE2) for the Midwest District of the Evangelical Free Church. Later, he changed to working in a local church again, and was the minister of Christian Education and Youth at Cedar Hills Evangelical Free Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Darrel later worked in the heating and cooling industry as an office manager and dispatcher. Darrel also worked part time in the garden shop at HyVee Drugstore and eventually became a full-time assistant manager there. He continued to work at HyVee Drugstore until his retirement at age 70.
Darrel's children brought him many joys and interesting adventures. Rebekah has lived in Japan, Thailand, New York City, and now Westchester, N.Y. She earned her doctorate of education (Ed.D.) in applied linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University, and now is an associate professor in linguistics and English as a second language at the City University of New York (LaGuardia Community College). Keith has lived in Africa, Alaska, Hawaii, Texas and now Baltimore, Md. He received his Ph.D. in marine biology at Texas A & M at Corpus Christi, Texas. He now is a full professor of biology at Stevenson University in Baltimore.
Darrel also delighted in his grandchildren: Micah, age 7, and Silas, age 4,, and was able to spend time with them in 2018-2019 when they came to Iowa to live while Rebekah was on a research sabbatical.
Darrel and Joanne enjoyed their retirement years together, finally having time to enjoy the quiet pleasures of life. They celebrated 55 years of marriage in 2020. In 2013, Darrel was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He continued to function well for the next five years. Eventually he required care in a dementia unit and was admitted to Crestview Acres in March 2019. He continued in a gradual decline until his death.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alzheimer's Association: act.alz.org. Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.