Obituary for Jerry Johnson

Jerry Johnson

(April 2, 1932 – January 22, 2016)

Jerry J. Johnson of Blackwell, Oklahoma, passed away early morning on January 22, 2016, at his home at 83 years of age.

Jerry was born April 2, 1932 south of Hunnewell, Kansas, on an Oklahoma farm to his parents Harvey and Evelyn (Corn) Johnson. He joined a sister, Betty and later by a sister, Mary. They lived there until he was just a young boy and then moved to a farm northeast of Blackwell in the Wadell school community. When he started high school the family moved east of Blackwell. While in high school he was active in 4-H and FFA, showing pigs and calves in all the local shows. Coming from a hard working family he didn’t get to participate in sports and other activities like a lot of his friends. His parents ran a dairy farm and he had chores both before and after school. He also worked for Bob Arnold Motor his last two years of high school. He graduated Blackwell High School in 1950. He was drafted into the United States Army in November 1952 during the Korean War and served two years. He was honorably discharged in November 1954 at the rank of Sargent. He requested many times to be sent overseas but was denied each time because he was an excellent mechanic and was more valuable stateside.

He loved farming and spent his military leave at home helping his parents with harvest and fieldwork. Upon discharge he returned home to the farm and also helped his dad build houses in the Ponca City area just east of what then was the Airline Drive-in Theatre. On his 23rd birthday April 2, 1955, he met the lady that would become his life-long love and partner Kathleen Brooks. They were engaged in six weeks and married in three months on July 15, 1955. They celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2015. To this union were born three sons, Harold, Mike and Steve. He felt his greatest accomplishment in life was his three fine boys. Besides farming he also ran a mechanic shop with this best friend, Boyd Butler for many years until ill health forced Boyd to retire. Jerry worked by himself for several years and then the business sold and he had to slow down. He was known far and wide in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas for his knowledge of old two-cylinder John Deere tractors.

He so enjoyed all the activities of his sons, grandkids and great grandkids including little league, football, baseball and especially livestock shows. Getting to go to Louisville, Kentucky, to see his granddaughter, Jana receive the American Farmer Degree was a great thrill. His greatest wish was to watch the little great grandkids grow up. He was always ready to stop and help anyone in need especially his buddies who needed help on a tractor or other equipment. He dearly loved the Lord and talked often when he would join the Lord and be united with his dear loved ones in Heaven. He loved all the old westerns and John Wayne was his hero. When he could no longer work outside, he enjoyed the old movies. He enjoyed collecting deer figurines and John Deere toys. He also enjoyed going to flea markets and casinos for entertainment; but his greatest joy was being Papa and grandpa.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen Johnson of Blackwell; son, Steve Johnson of Cherokee; grandchildren, Jerord Johnson and wife Jenny of Blackwell, Jana Johns and husband Derry of Braman, LaTisha Blubaugh and husband Justin of Medford, Kyle Johnson and wife Shelby of Enid; great grandchildren, Rocky Wood of Blackwell, Jake and Levi Johnson of Blackwell, Kenzi and Kimber Johns of Braman, and Addison Johnson of Enid; special brother-in-law Sam Brooks and wife Joan of Kingman, Arizona; daughters-in-law; Danna Johnson of Blackwell and Debbie Johnson of Enid; and several nieces and nephews.

He was proceded in death by his parents; both sets of grandparents; sisters, Betty Howard and Mary Cormack; brothers-in-law, Keith Howard and Charles Cormack; sons, Harold and Mike Johnson; and nephews, Raymond Howard and Mark Cormack.

Services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 25th in the Roberts and Son Funeral Home Chapel in Blackwell with James W. Roberts officiating. Burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery in South Haven, Kansas. Military rites will be performed by the United States Army.

Casketbearers will be grandsons, Jerord Johson, Kyle Johnson, Derry Johns, Justin Blubaugh, and friends, Ryan Peetoom and Ben Smith. Honorary casketbearers are David Buesing, Rick Adams, Bob Marshall, Sonny Ball, Warren White, Roy Adams, Hal Ward and Keith Jeffries.

A memorial has been established in his honor with the Blackwel F.F.A. in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.