Alex Rjy Johnson 1931-2012

JOHNSON MILES CARRELL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/28/2012 at 19:50:43

Hornick, Iowa - Alex Rjy Johnson, 81, of Hornick died Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012, at his home.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Moville United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Ed Frank officiating. Burial will be at a later date. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present at 6 p.m., at the church. Christy-Smith McCulloch Chapel in Moville is coordinating arrangements. Online condolences may be posted at www.christysmith.com.

Alex was born Jan. 21, 1931, in Spokane, Wash. He was adopted by Frank Lewis and Edna Mae (Miles) Johnson as an infant. He grew up and attended school in Spokane, graduating in 1951. He entered the U.S. Navy shortly after graduation, serving until 1958 when he was honorably discharged.

Alex married LaVonne "Bonnie" Carrell on June 22, 1975, in Spokane.

He worked for several different construction companies in Spokane, including Bradshaw Construction, Cooney Construction, Sceva Construction and Coyote Corporation, working on everything from bridges and grain elevator silos to doing finish carpentry. He started his own construction company, Doran and Johnson Contracting, in Spokane, retiring in 1994. Retirement led to Bonnie and him moving to rural Hornick, buying a place in the country. He completely remodeled and made several additions to the house with the help of his brother-in-law and other family members.

He loved animals, mowing the yard, watching TV, riding motorcycles and snowmobiles and doing finish carpentry work. He taught himself to drive the family car, at age 13, while his father was away working in Alaska. He and his friends would push it down the street before starting it and then drive to school. Many of his friends learned how to drive that year also.

He attended Moville United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Johnson of Hornick; two children from his first marriage, Angela Mae (Ed) Dunlap of New Hampton, Iowa, and Terry Lewis (Chris) Lynn of Des Moines; five stepchildren from his second marriage, Roger (Glenda) Repp of Spokane, Rosie Rickman Post Falls, Idaho, Johnny (Judy) Repp of Yakima, Wash., Adam (Debbie) Repp of Spokane and Wendy (Doug) Hinton of Denver; a stepson from his marriage to Bonnie, Steve Boger of Washington; 20 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Joyce (Philip) Sanderson of Hornick; a brother-in-law, Roy (Patty) Carrell of Sioux City; and sisters-in-law, Sharen (Bill) Leaverton of Sioux City and Karen (Kenny) Snyder of Sioux City; and his best friend, Walt Holderman of Spokane.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Robert and Florence Carrell; a brother-in-law, Marvin Carrell; two sisters-in-law, Arlene Plummer and Barbara Larson; and a grandson, Jadd Penalber