Roger William Johnson was born in Watertown, South Dakota on March 2nd, 1942. He passed away in Overland Park, Kansas on May 28th, 2023. Visitation will be from 9am to 10am followed by a memorial service at 10am at Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, Kansas on Saturday, June 3rd, 2023. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to Kansas City Hospice.
In 1944 the family moved off the farm to live in Michigan. Roger enjoyed his early years in a rural setting with his siblings, Wayne, Kenneth, Keith, Sharon and Carole Johnson. Roger best enjoyed his time with friends while attending the Flint County school on Vandecarr Road. He graduated from Corunna High School in 1961. He joined the Navy in 1962 and was a Command Master Chief Petty Officer upon retirement, “Sempre Fortis”. He was a bit shy of thirty years of service. After retiring from the Navy, he worked for an environmental firm at the Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada, all those years he was not at our side, he was always in our heart.
Roger married Jeanette “Jan” Diaz in San Diego May 5th, 1996. Together they raised five children; Thomas, Vickie, Kimberly, Keith and Louie. A few years after Roger’s retirement, his wife Jan, died unexpectedly on January 15, 2002. Roger ultimately met Loretta “Lorie” Reathaford and married her January 31st, 2005 and lived in Overland Park, Kansas.
Roger’s greatest enjoyment in retirement was traveling with Lorie. They traveled to almost all of the continents, and most of the states in our country. Being and old “Salt” Roger spoke two languages, one was English, but he was most fluent and proficient in his other language that you learn only after being at sea too long.
Roger was predeceased by his parents, Louis and Margaret, his first wife, Jeanette, brother Kenneth, and daughter Vickie. Roger leaves to mourn his passing, his wife Lorie, his brothers Wayne (Barbara) Johnson, Keith (Diane) Johnson, sisters Carole Johnson, and Sharon (Bob) Morehouse, his children, Thomas, Kimberly, Keith and Louie, and Lorie’s daughter and husband Tom and Jodi Ferro. He also leaves many grandchildren, great grandchildren and nieces and nephews who will miss him.
Bon Voyage and Anchors Away from all of us Rog…..