Obituary of Donald Willis Johnson

Some Glad Morning, Don Graduated to Glory!!! Donald Willis Johnson, 87, had long been ready, although he said he was in no hurry, to fly away to glory; on August 21, 2015, as a result of illness, Brother Don was freed to fly home. Don was born on March 3, 1928, in Long Beach, California, the only son of Willis Montague “Monte” and Elsa (Crane) Johnson, brother to Patricia Leolin (Johnson) Larson, all of whom preceded him in death. Don attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, learning chemistry, among other things. This knowledge related in a funny story about a home-made firecracker, which, after being dropped to the street through the floorboard of his friend Ted's car, would explode, causing the drivers of the vehicles who followed to believe their cars were misfiring. Don had a wonderful sense of humor, a characteristic that remained strong and well used his entire life. He often spoke of that being one thing he hoped to be remembered for, and so it is. Next to his love for God and his desire to share that love with all he encountered, his fondness for puns and wry sense of humor is most often mentioned. A sense of patriotism following his graduation led him to join the Marines where he pursued drafting and engineering in the map department. Don went on to attend the University of Southern California, playing Alto Saxophone in the marching band and majoring in Civil Engineering. But before graduating, he felt God calling him to enter the ministry. He enrolled in Pacific Bible Seminary (now Pacific Christian College of Hope University, Fullerton, California) where he met his loving wife, Peggy Deloris (Childs) Johnson. They were wed on August 7, 1952, by her father, and embarked on following the passion, the purpose of their lives, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. They shared a 42-plus year ministry together as they raised four children and many “foster kids” who became family, prior to her death in 1999. Don was a compassionate and gifted pastor, a much-loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Douglas and Teresa Johnson, Andrew and Andrea Johnson, Jan and Gerald Haynes, and the two bachelors, Peter and Daniel, as well as brother-in-law Bernard Plumb, 10 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He pastored in primarily small towns across Northern California, Eastern Oregon, the Willamette Valley, Northern Idaho, on the Oregon Coast and in Eastern Washington. Don enjoyed music, often leading worship as Peggy played the piano. Although, as he put it, he “couldn't carry a tune in a bucket!”, he would quote the Psalmist...”make a joyful noise unto the Lord!” He had many favorite hymns, but the one he especially cherished was, “I’ll Fly Away”, which he requested be sung at his remembrance service. Always known to his congregations as Brother Don, as he retired from full-time ministry he began a new chapter in his life as “Pastor Don, Nursing Home Chaplain”, a position he continued in until his death. In many locations, he also had a home garden and raised Banty chickens, providing food for his family and relaxation for himself. He loved trains of all sorts, enjoyed photography, vacations with his family, camping, gardening, and was a voracious reader. While living in Weott, CA, he once rescued his extensive library from a rising flood by rowing a boat into his second floor church office window and loading as many books as he could possibly fit in the dingy with him. An avid “model railroader”, Don built a layout and worked on HO-scale railroad models in every town where he preached. In both clubs and individual homes, he helped others work to build mini-rail empires, creating new and long-lasting friendships along the way. Bro Don shared his time and his life with many people; he touched so many lives, it is difficult to express how much and by how many he will be missed. A Celebration of Life Remembrance service will be held at Camas First Christian Church, Camas, WA, on Saturday, September 26, 2015, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either/both : Point Hope, Inc., PO Box 8623, Port Orchard, WA 98366, a non-profit which helps children, directed by his daughter and for which Don prayed faithfully! Nursing Home Ministries, PO Box 22246, Portland, Oregon 97269-2246, please indicate “in memory of Chaplin Don Johnson” on your gift.