Thomas Gilbert JOHNSON

JOHNSON, MARTIN, LONNING, BROWNELL, HOPKINS, LEIGHT, SPEAK

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/9/2008 at 11:23:23

Tallahassee Democrat (FL)
February 1, 2007

Thomas Gilbert Johnson, 73, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Diane Martin Johnson. Interment will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the International Independent Showman's Association, P.O. Box 188, Gibsonton, FL 33534. Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Riggins Road Chapel is handling arrangements.

Born Sept. 21, 1933, in Thor, Iowa, he was the son of Thomas Johnson and Gladys Lonning Johnson Brownell and stepson of Herald Brownell. Tom left home at age 13 to join a traveling carnival. Years later, he owned his own carnival, Penn Valley Shows. He and his wife ran this successfully for many years before selling it in 1994. Since then, he has alternated his time between homes in Sunset Beach, N.C., and Brandon, and then later Monticello, where he and his wife owned and operated the historic Palmer Place Bed and Breakfast. Other survivors include a sister and brother-in-law, Kay and Darwin Hopkins of Fort Dodge, Iowa; a brother, Robert Johnson of Iowa; Peggy Leight of Monticello; Nancy Leight of Billings, Mont.; and loving nieces, nephews and their families and wonderful friends everywhere. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Ruby Jean Speak.