TOPSHAM – My brother, John, died on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. John was a good husband, father, grandfather, brother, sailor, and son who brought joy to our parents in their old age. John Patrick Johnson was born March 1, 1945 to Catharine Crane and Taylor Louis Johnson in Darby and was raised in Bucks County, Pa. John was the fifth of 10 children and had four sisters, Jane, Anne, Eileen, Mary Grace, and five brothers, Philip, Gerry, Dick, Peyton, Louis. He graduated from Saint John the Baptist School in Haycock Run in 1959 and from Notre Dame High School in Green Pond in 1963. Southern Illinois University conferred his B.S. degree in 1982.John was attracted to the Navy early. Thanks to the advice of a Navy recruiter, he finished high school before signing up and leaving for Great Lakes Naval Station. The Navy was his entire career. He completed both 20 years military service and a subsequent, equally long civilian career. His initial ambition was to reach the highest rank of chief petty officer, which he did. His service assignments took him to numerous installations up and down the east coast; however, his assignments in Brunswick, were the enduring, meaningful ones. The most important 49 years of John Johnson’s life began on April 8, 1972, when he married Sandra Dolan in Kennebunk. Sandra and John celebrated the births of sons Eric Stephen and Mathew Peyton and much later welcomed their respective partners Lynn Brooks and Dayna Fellows. Granddaughter, Emily Grace’s birth to Lynn and Eric eight years ago was a grand delight. John adored golf, played often, didn’t brag (much), but wouldn’t mind my mentioning his brief encounter with Jack Nicklaus at a tournament in South Carolina, sharing a friendly comment about a palmetto tree. John was a good man who loved his family and a patriot who revered his country. Never in his life did he seek the spotlight. Even the fight with the brain cancer that took his life was fought with a stoic fortitude which was sad for us because we were able to see or speak with him infrequently. But his solitary facing of eternity was rather remarkable in its execution and admirable in its charity to us. He did not want to go, but he fought well. He died at home in Topsham on April 4, and was buried at Augusta Veterans Cemetery May 20. The bible promises that “there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good.” I can say emphatically that virtue was not a stranger to John. He treasured truth and justice and lived his life accordingly. “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and that John does too, that he has found the glory and honor reserved for him, and that angels will lead him into paradise. Rest in Peace, John! Mary Grace

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