Rev. John Van Buskirk Johnson (1885-1943)

JOHNSON, JONES, LUKE, ERBE, WASHBON

Posted By: John Davis (email)
Date: 12/21/2019 at 18:14:54

Obit posted in Ottumwa Courier May 12, 1943
Photo posted with obit
Minister of Wesley Church Dies
The Rev. J.B. Johnson 57, and pastor of the Wesley Methodist church for the past three years, died suddenly at 10 p.m. Wednesday from a heart attack at his home, 714 East Second street. Always active in the young people’s work in the church, the Rev. Mr. Johnson had just returned to his home from the church where he had attended a committee meeting of young people’s society. On entering his home, he was the victim of a heart attack from which he failed to rally. He was a member of the Ottumwa Ministerial association and was chairman of that organization’s Service Men’s committee. He was active in the local ministers’ programs for men entering the armed forces. John Van Buskirk Johnson was born June 14, 1885, in Greencastle, Indiana, the son of Heber and Amelia Johnson. He received his elementary education in public schools of Greencastle, being graduated from the Greencastle, high school in 1903. He then attended DePaul university in Greencastle and was graduated from the Moody bible institute of Chicago in 1914. He immediately entered the ministry of the Methodist church and served pastorates in the Northwest Indiana conference for 17 years, when he transferred to the Des Moines conference. In this conference, he held Methodist pastorates at Melcher, Corydon, Glidden-Dedham and Ottumwa. For a number of years, he held the position of conference statistician of the Des Moines conference. The Rev. Mr. Johnson was married July 3, 1907, to Miss Gladys Jones in Greencastle. He is survived by his wife and two children, Mrs. Kenneth Luke of Ottumwa, and Private Jack Johnson, with the Army Air Corps at Greenville S.C. and by two grandchildren. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Amelia Johnson of Greencastle, and by the following brothers and sisters, Mrs. Ruth Erbe, Oklahoma City, Mrs. Lucy Washbon, Greencastle, George H. Johnson, Indianapolis; Harrison Johnson, Cleveland and Frank W. Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio. The body is at the Carrol Reece funeral home pending the completion of funeral arrangements.

Rev. Johnson To Be Buried Saturday
Funeral services for the Rev. J.B. Johnson of Wesley Methodist church, who died suddenly Wednesday evening, will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Wesley church. The Rev. W.F. Lister, D.D. superintendent of the Ottumwa district of the Methodist church, will conduct the services. He will be assisted by the Rev. O. E. Cooly, Nevada, Iowa, the Rev. Azel Smith, Knoxville, and the Rev. C.R. Reed of the Willard Street church, Ottumwa. The body will be taken from the Carroll Reece funeral home at noon Saturday to the church where it will lie in state until the hour of the funeral. The casket will be closed at the beginning of the services. Burial will be in Ottumwa cemetery. The active pallbearers will be members of the Methodist ministry, the Revs. Harold Stark, Batavia, C.M. Edmondson, Oskaloosa, M.D. Wyatt, Agency ; A. M. Eastman, Bloomfield; J. W. Zerbe, Fremont, and A.P. Keast, Fairfield. Honorary pallbearers will be trustees of Wesley church; William Anderson, F.B. Haw, Harry Ward, Otto Johnson, Dr. H. L. Stevens, D.W. Lentz, L.P. Timmins and Charles Black.