Joseph A. Johnson

Joseph Anthony Johnson was born in Long Beach, California on March 31, 1934. He was the son of Naval NCO Joseph Andrew Johnson and Claire Johnson. He went to be with the Lord Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Joe and his parents moved extensively throughout the United States during his father's naval career. He graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland, California and attended the University of San Francisco where he played baseball and obtained his degree in Foreign Affairs. Joe played semi-pro baseball, then joined the United States Navy, graduating from the Officer's Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island in 1956. He spent the next eight years as an officer in the Navy, traveling around the world serving mainly in Southeast Asia. Joe met his wife, Denyse Ryan, in 1959 while stationed in Long Beach, California. They were married on July 31, 1960 at the Naval Chapel on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. After leaving the Navy, Joe's career as a Corporate Relations Manager for Fortune 100 companies took him from California to Ohio and then Missouri. Joe and his wife retired to Las Cruces 2005. Joe was involved in many civic organizations including serving as chairman of the Sister City Committee for Independence, Missouri, Jackson Country Mental Health Board and Independence Neighborhood Council. He loved his family, reading Greek and Roman history, cheering on the Los Angeles Dodgers and collecting stamps. Joe was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife Denyse, sons Sean of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Patrick of Longmont, Colorado, daughter in law Marcia Johnson and grandson Ian Johnson of Grand Forks and brother and sister in law Lee and Reta Mounger of Broomfield, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents. PDF Printable Version