Herman Johnson

JOHNSON, BROWN, TUCK, SPIKER, HENSON, EALEY, GROVES

Posted By: Georgia Ann Varner (email)
Date: 4/20/2013 at 22:34:40

From Daily Gate City Newspaper clipping.

Herman Johnson

Herman Johnson, 84, Keokuk died Monday morning, April 26, 2004, in his home after battling emphysema for many years.

He was born in Graham Hospital, Keokuk, the son of Herman Gustaff and Lola Brown Johnson on Oct. 3, 1919, where his records reported his name as Baby Boy Johnson. At retirement this oversight was discovered and corrected.

He served in the Aleutian Islands as a tech sargeant during World War II. He also served at Fort Mcclellan, Ala., where he met and married his wife, Ervel Juanita Tuck Johnson. They were married Oct. 3, 1945. She preceded him in death on June 29, 1996.

They traveled to Keokuk by train, which delivered them to the old Keokuk train station. Jemison Chevrolet employed Mr. Johnson for a number of years before he decided to go to work at the Keokuk Battery Company for his childhood friend Keith Atterberg.

After retiring from keokuk Battery, he then chose to continue working at the First Baptist Church where his "Jack of all trades" ability was put to good use. His care and concern for church family, friends, children, wife and community were evident in the many extra hours he spent at church as a deacon, and as a Boy Scout leader when his son was young.

Survivors include a son, Herman G. Johnson of Keokuk, a daughter, J. Lynn Johnson of Keokuk; two sisters, Kathryn Spikerr of Argyle, and Margaret Henson of Lake Charles, La.; and a brother, Virgil Johnson of Jordan, Minn.

He also was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Jeanette Ealey of Wapello, and Dorothy Groves of Montrose; and two brothers, George Johnson of Omaha, Neb.; and an infant brother.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at DeJong's Funeral Home, Keokuk with the Rev. Dale Thomas officiating.

Burial will be in Keokuk National Cemetery.

Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with family meeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, Keokuk.