By Staff
Jerry Johnson, 73, a resident of Macswoods since 1994, died Saturday, February 24, 2007, at the Beaufort County Hospital in Washington, North Carolina after a brief illness.
Jerry was born in Galesburg, Illinois, south of Chicago, the only child of Phillip Fenton Johnson and Ruth Olson Johnson.
In 1957, he received an MBA from Harvard University and a BS in Mechanical engineering from Princeton University in 1955. Jerry served his country honorably on active duty as an artillery officer and paratrooper with the 101st Airborne division. He was most proud to continue serving as an active member of the United States Army Reserve, contributing 30 years of service to the cause of freedom for the country he dearly loved. He retired as colonel in 1985.
An avid sailor since the 1960’s on Long Island, “Sea Licious” was slipped into the Washington Yacht and Country Club quite smoothly in 1994. The challenge of Ocracoke was a favorite pursuit for this elegant, scholarly, energetic, always cheerful, vigorous, healthy, retiree.
A former commander of the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Washington, North Carolina, for two years, the last meeting he attended was held just several weeks ago. As a member of the Pamlico Sail Power Squadron since its founding in 2000, he taught various classes on navigation and piloting and organized several successful boating parties to marinas in the Belhaven area.
Mr. Johnson’s survivors include his wife of more than 30 years, Anne Mahony Johnson, two sons from a previous marriage, Gregory Johnson of Mercer Island, Washington, and Charles Johnson of Baltimore, Maryland, two daughters in law, Tanya and Mandy, and his five beloved grandchildren, Ryan, Cooper and Miranda of the state of Washington, and Cole and Ben of Maryland, who knew him as “Papa Jerry.” In August of 2003, he was so proud to have his whole family gather around to sing “Happy Birthday” at the top of their lungs. The occasion was his 70th birthday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial contributions be made payable to Princeton University and note on the memo line of the check — the Jeremy W. Johnson ’55 Memorial Fund. . . and mailed to the following address: Jeremy W. Johnson ’55 Memorial Fund, Princeton University, c/o Nancy Kalmikoff, Gift Records, PO Box 5357, Princeton, NJ 08543-5357.
A Mass of Resurrection will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 10, 2007, at Mother of Mercy Catholic Church on West 9th Street in Washington with Father M. Arturo Cabra officiating.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 and Thursday, March 15, 2007 at the home in Macswoods.
You may share a memory with the family and view Jerry’s video tribute by visiting www.hillsidefuneralservice.com
Hillside Funeral Service of Washington is serving the Johnson family.
Paid Obituary