John Henry Johnson

John Henry Johnson, born to Willie and Iletha Johnson on November 8, 1951, passed away on August 6, 2023 at the age of 71. He was the youngest of eight children.

John attended Moton High School in Taft, Oklahoma, graduating in 1970. He went on to graduate from Oklahoma State Technical Institute in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. After graduating, he worked for four years in the aviation industry (Learjet, Cessna and Boeing), becoming a Machinist and joining the International Association of Machinists Union (IAM) in Wichita, Kansas. He met his beautiful wife Debra in 1975 in Wichita, they married on April 1, 1976. To this union, two children were born, John Damian Johnson and Nicolas DaShane Johnson. 

Also in 1976 John changed professions, becoming a Railroad Freight Conductor for Missouri Pacific Railroad at Osawatomie, Kansas. Missouri Pacific Railroad was eventually absorbed by Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), making John a member of The United Transportation Union (UTU). In this process of changing professions, John and Debra moved to Lenexa, Kansas, then to Olathe, Kansas where they resided, retiring from UPRR after thirty-six years of service in 2012.

John loved fishing, sports, coaching youth sports, traveling and breaking bread together with family and friends through church events, reunions and annual picnics. John’s true passion was working as Youth Group Leader for over thirty years at St. Monica Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He loved the Lord and was committed to his ministry where he taught Sunday School, was a Leader of the Senior Youth Group, a Leader of the Junior Youth Group, along with various other ministries such as the Bus Ministry, the Counting Team, and Co-Chair of both the annual Church Picnic and the annual Men’s Barbecue.

John is preceded in death by his parents Willie and Iletha Johnson; his brothers Leonard Jackson Sr. (Ardie), Albert L. Johnson (Johnnie Mae), Joy Jackson Sr. (Warnella); his sisters, Willie Mae (Cooper) Grayson, Francis (Ewell) Ennis, Elvira (General) Escoe and Geneva Dale (J C), brother-in-law John L Butner Jr.

John leaves to cherish his memories: his wife of 47 years, Debra Ann Johnson; His sons, John D. Johnson (Brandi) Eudora, Kansas, Nicolas D. Johnson, Lenexa, Kansas; Grandchildren, LeAnne Nicole Johnson, Jada Nicole Johnson, Kara Marie Johnson, Nia Nicole Johnson and Anna Marie Johnson; one sister, Mable Pope, Taft, Oklahoma; two brothers, Earnest Johnson (Renette), Wichita, Kansas, James Johnson (Tejuana), Muskogee, Oklahoma; Mother-in-law, Anna F. Brewer, Olathe, Kansas; Sister-in-law, Tonia Milligan (Barry), Mulvane, Kansas; Brother-in-laws, Michael Butner (Janet), Kansas City, Kansas, Rodney Butner (Sherry), Olathe, Kansas, Brian Butner, Olathe, Kansas; and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins and friends.    

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