Robert Johnson

Robert (Bob) Johnson passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, April 27th, 2020, at the Hawthorne Inn of Danville, where he had resided since December of 2019. He leaves his devoted spouse Jan Johnson, also of Hawthorne Inn, with whom he recently celebrated 70 years of marriage.

Bob was born on July 22, 1926 in Minneapolis MN to DeVan and Opal Johnson. He graduated from Southwest High School in Minneapolis in 1944 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy just before his 18th birthday. Throughout his youth, he spent summers with family on Minnesotas Lake Sylvia, where he learned to love fishing with his brothers. His first "paid" job was harvesting ice from the frozen lake in the winter to store in sawdust until the young brothers peddled it to summer cottage owners for their ""ice boxes." Another early experience was working on the Grand Coulee Dam in 1947, while living with his aunt and uncle on the Colville Indian reservation in Washington. Bob attended the University of Minnesota after WWII and found it very crowded with returning GIs, so he transferred to study and graduate from the Dunwoody Industrial Institute in Minneapolis. He spent his career in the industrial heating/cooling business, retiring as Export Department Manager at Bohn Heat Transfer Corporation in Danville, IL.

He married Barbara Janice Nosker in Minneapolis, MN on March 25, 1950, and was called up as a Navy Reservist a few months later. After his second tour of duty, they settled in Minneapolis where they welcomed their four children to the family. In 1960, they relocated to Danville, where Bob and Jan developed countless friendships, shared their time and gifts with the community, and lived full lives, while welcoming their expanding family home from all over the country for lively reunions with a houseful of grown children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Bob served in WWII from July of 1944 to June of 1946, in the Pacific and in the "Magic Carpet" fleet of ships returning troops to the United States when the war ended. As a Naval reservist from September 1950 to March of 1952, Bob was stationed in Guam to operate a cold storage unit, housed in a Quonset hut, where Jan and infant daughter Cindy joined him in mid-1951 for the remainder of his duty.

Bob lived with many interests and countless quiet contributions to his community. In his younger years, he loved cars, and kept a photo album record of each newly acquired vehicle. For a Danville news article about his volunteer time with the local Habitat for Humanity, he was his typical humble self, noting with a chuckle: "I like to pound nails and build things." In reality, he shared his time and talents toward the construction of more than 20 homes for HFH of Danville. He was a carpenter through and through, building furniture, repairing items at Bethel Lutheran Church, and generally keeping up and adding elements to every house the family lived in, as well as for his children as they moved into their own homes. His trees and gardens were another passion, and he tended flowers into his 90s, while feeding the birds, especially the hummingbirds, and deciding which trees needed trimming from his vantage point on the porch. He was an avid golfer at Turtle Run (formerly the Elks Club) and spent many hours with his buddies there and at their ROMEO ("retired old men eating out") lunches. Bob traveled extensively around the world for his work with Bohn, developing international friendships and a love of cuisine. After retirement, he and Jan took many trips throughout the United States and abroad, visiting National Parks, Alaska, Europe, and Scandinavia. A lifelong fisherman, he looked forward to annual fishing trips to Minnesota and Canada with his brother Jerry after they both retired.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother DeVan Johnson, Jr., his daughter-in-law Peggy Harmon Johnson, and his son-in-law Greg Chelcun. He leaves his memories and love with his wife Jan and their children, to whom he modeled hard work, humility and generosity of heart: Karen (Richard) Prather of Lincolnville, Maine; Judy (Michael) Brockgreitens of Lebanon, MO; Glenn (the late Peggy) Johnson of Danville; and Cindy (the late Greg) Chelcun of Wallingford, CT. His nine grandchildren, whom he thoroughly enjoyed holding, rocking, and reading to as babies and with whom he spent years sharing advice, traditions, stories, fishing tips, and games of golf, live across the country and will miss him dearly. Karens children: Lauren Prather of Denver, CO; Ryan Prather (fiance Lauren Kane) of Nashville, TN. Judys children: Becca Forshee and her children Evan and Anna of Lebanon, MO; Rachel Gibson (Brian) and their daughters Claire, Ella and Ashley of Gainesville, GA. Glenns children: David Johnson (Haley McKenzie) of Las Vegas, NV; Jesse Johnson (Rebecca) of Louisville, KY; Sarah Johnson and her children Audrey and Carson of Danville. And Cindys children: Brian Chelcun of Brooklyn, NY; Johanna DAddario (Tom) of Cromwell, CT. Bob is also survived by his wonderful younger brother, Jerry Johnson (St. Paul, MN) and his family, and the family of his late brother DeVan.

Bobs family is grateful to the caregivers who gave Bob more time in his home and apartment in his last years, especially Laura, Ashley, Sharon, and Marsha. We are indebted to Dr. Kendrith Rowland of Carle Clinic Danville for helping Bob to beat the odds while living a quality life with cancer for 20 years. Finally, our heartfelt appreciation is extended to countless dedicated staff members at Danvilles Liberty Village Retirement Community, for supporting him through his move to Liberty Village Apartments last August, his rehabilitation from a December 2019 fall injury, and through his recent adjustment to assisted living at a time of extraordinary challenge for care facilities in our country.

Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Danville, Illinois, 3940 N Vermilion St. Danville, Illinois 61834 has been entrusted with arrangements. A memorial service and military burial will take place in Danville at a later date when family and friends may safely gather together to remember and honor Bob. For those who are interested, contributions may be made to the Danville Habitat for Humanity (habitatforhumanity.org) fund, or to Bethel Lutheran Church of Danville, Illinois.

Please join Bob's family in sharing memories, photos, and videos on his tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.