Raymond Johnson's Obituary
Raymond Johnson passed from this life at 5:15 in the morning on Sunday, the 1st of June, 2014, at ninety-nine years, two months, and twenty-two days of age. He was surrounded by his daughter and grandchildren when he slipped peacefully away at his home in Fayetteville.
He was born north of Flippin, Arkansas on the 8th of March 1915. He was preceded in death by his father, Eugene Johnson, his mother, Minnie B. Johnson, his sister Thelma, his brother Clyde, his sister Clemma, his brother Glen, his son Dink, his wife Maude, and his wife Nancy.
Raymond attended school in Flippin until his enlistment in the Navy in 1932. After six years in the service he sent for his hometown sweetheart Maude Berry and they married on the 21st of April 1938 in Norfolk, Virginia. Maude was the love of his life, a college beauty queen, and mother to his two children. Their daughter Rae was born 1939 while Raymond was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone. Their son Dink was born in 1945 when the family was quartered at Port Hueneme, California.
Raymond served in locations too numerous to list here and held ranks from seaman apprentice to Lieutenant Commander. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific, the American, the European-African, and Middle-Eastern Campaigns, served in the Pacific Fleet during the Second World War and the Korean Conflict. He served on the USS Omaha, the USS Enterprise, the USS Botetourt, and others.
Upon his retirement from the Navy after 27 years of active-duty service in 1959, he returned with his family to Arkansas, where he purchased a small acreage west of Fayetteville. He attended the University of Arkansas for three years, and purchased a struggling small business on the square and quickly turned it into a thriving concern. He sold the paint, wallpaper and custom picture framing business and retired once again, this time to his small farm.
He was active in the Church of Christ at both the Center Street and North Street congregations, and for many years was a staunch supporter and advocate of the Green Valley Bible camp. His sponsorship of his grandchildrens’ summers at Green Valley afforded them many lifelong friendships that endure to this day. A generous man, he was for many years involved in benevolence work at the North Street congregation and often provided for people in need above and beyond what the church was able to do.
He and his wife Maude actively sought out young people and families in the area and were a bulwark for many young families during times of uncertainty and stress. He was exceptionally fond of children and delighted in the antics of young people throughout his entire life. He was free with good counsel, shared his wisdom and talent for stewardship, and was ready to help anyone who asked, and many who did not.
He was a good friend to his neighbors, especially his neighbor to the west and south, Taft Teague, whose larger farm often required long hours of manual labor, equipment operation, animal husbandry, and careful management. He often described Mr. Teague as his best friend, and among the many joys of his life, returning in a small part to the farm life he saw on his own grandparents’ farm in Marion County was certainly one. In recent years he regaled his family with fascinating anecdotes of his own grandfather’s ingenuity and capability.
His generosity and patience with his family was remarkable, and he shepherded his children and grandchildren through their infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and adult lives with a firm but gentle hand, leading primarily by example, but not reluctant to offer pointed and considered instruction when warranted, especially at the cribbage board.
He was active in his extended family over the years and spent a great deal of time travelling with Maude to visit members of the Johnson, Berry, and Parette families, frequently visiting the homes of his contemporaries, their children, his own children, and the homes of his friends from time in the service and civilian life.
He bore the untimely death of his son Dink, also a veteran, an aviator and former Major in the United States Marine Corps, stoically and made the journey to Arlington National Cemetery when Dink was laid to rest there.
When his wife Maude was stricken with Alzheimer’s in the early 1980s, he tended to her lovingly and patiently long after it became a hazard to his own health. With the help primarily of his daughter Rae and granddaughter Michelle, he tended to her at home until it became impossible to do so for her own safety. The quality and magnitude of his love and care for her was astounding and he lavished it on her until her death in October of 1990.
After his courtship and marriage to Nancy, he resumed the travelling he had set aside and they went on numerous trips to visit his now even more extended family and friends. Her presence in his life seemed to rejuvenate him and he seemed to be a man much younger than his years. During the first decade of their marriage, they spent a tremendous amount of time sharing their love of bowling, the common interest that brought them together. He participated in the Senior Olympics well into his eighth decade and carried an average of over 165 pins into his ninth. Many of his good friends over the last twenty years are members of his bowling league, the “Young at Heart.”
In the summer of 2003, Nancy suffered a stroke that left her partially paralyzed and unable to communicate well. Raymond once again tended to his bride with remarkable tenderness and his customary resolve, providing for her care at home himself until it became unwise for him to do so because of her condition and his advanced age. Live-in care allowed them to continue to be together for the entire duration of their marriage, and the vast majority of days were good days, in no small part because of Raymond’s unwavering devotion and remarkable ability to enjoy life as it comes, not how it is expected to be. When Nancy was felled by the effects of another stroke in the middle of May of this year, he was heartbroken. He had been dealing with health problems of his own, but was at home with her when she passed.
Over the last few years of his remarkable life, he was increasingly in the company of his family; he was gradually surrounded by the long-term effects of the astounding love and devotion he engendered through nearly a century of life. In his last few weeks, he was spectacularly well tended by his daughter Rae, granddaughter Michelle, and Nancy’s daughter Jenny. He retained his incredible mind, his tender spirit, and his indomitable will until his last breath.
He is survived by his daughter Rae Parette of Coweta Oklahoma, his grandchildren, Mark Parette of Coweta Ok, David Parette of Fayetteville, Michelle Kremers of Broken Arrow, Amy Killam of Pinehurst, NC and great-grandchildren Riley Killam, Tyler Parette, Jacob Kremers, Hayden Killam, Becket Killam, Abigail Parette, Megan Parette and Mason Parette.
A memorial fund has been established to provide a park bench in honor of Raymond. Additional donations to the fund will be sent to area children's homes as they were dear to his heart.
Raymond Johnson Memorial Fund
Bank of Fayetteville, North Branch
3120 N. College
Fayetteville, AR 72703
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