Arlo Willett Johnson

Mar 26, 2004 | Obituaries

Arlo Willett Johnson, an 84-year-old resident of Laredo, died near his home on Wednesday, March 24, 2004.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2004 at the Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Chapel at Princeton. Rev. Gary Barkley will officiate. Burial will be in the Princeton Cemetery.

An open visitation is now under way at the funeral home. A family visitation will be held from 7 to 8 o’clock this evening (Friday, March 26, 2004) at the funeral home.

Mr. Johnson was born on July 24, 1919 near Ridgeway, the son of Benjamin Franklin and Effie Jane Beeson Johnson. He was raised in the Ridgeway area and was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army. After the war, he moved to Princeton, where he lived most of his life and was employed for over 30 years at the Axtell Osteopathic Community Hospital, where he was in charge of maintenance.

He was married on Dec. 14, 1946 to Vera Willa “Murl” Johnson, who preceded him in death on Jan. 11, 1995. Shortly after her death, Mr. Johnson moved to Laredo.

He was member of the Princeton First Baptist Church and the Memorial VFW Post No. 7159 of Princeton.

Survivors include a step-daughter, Marilyn French and her husband, Johnny, of Princeton; two step-sons, Robert Payne and his wife, Darlene, of Lebanon, and Dale Payne and his wife, Iris, of Coeur D’Alene, ID; three brothers, Virgil Johnson and his wife, Hazel, of Laredo, Ward Johnson of Emerson, IA and Vernal Johnson and his wife, Velma, of Oklahoma City, OK; eight step-grandchildren; 14 step-great-grandchildren; two step-great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Frankie Johnson; four sisters; and two brothers.