Gary Milton Johnson

Gary Milton Johnson, age 72, the son of Perl C.M. and Violet E. (Holmes) Johnson, was born January 30, 1941 in Shenandoah, Iowa. He was the youngest of eight children. Gary passed away May 4, 2013 at his home in Essex, Iowa Gary grew up near Essex, Iowa and attended rural country school and graduated from Essex High School in 1959. In January 1960 he joined the United States Air Force. During his four year tour of duty, he was involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was later sent to Turkey for two months reconnaissance. He was a mechanic on RB47's and B52's. While in the service he was united in marriage to Peggy A. Bryant on May 5, 1961 in Essex, Iowa. After a 12 year break from military service he joined the Iowa National Guard in Red Oak, Iowa and was sent to Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Desert Storm. After 17 years he retired from the military service. Before and after his service time he worked for Burnison Construction Company and retired from the Ever Ready Battery Company in 1996. After retirement he worked for area farmers for 10 years. Gary was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Essex, Iowa, the Eagles Club of Red Oak, Iowa and a past member of t...[more]

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Essex Fire Department. Gary and Peggy owned and operated the local car wash and laundromat for 30 years. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law and mother-in-law Herb and Frances Bryant, four infant children, sisters Ruby Livingston, Arlene Burnison, and Shirley Bengtson, brothers Dallas and Oren Johnson, brothers-in-law Glen Burnison, Jim Bengtson, John Bergman and Kenneth Livingston. Those left to cherish his memory include is wife of 52 years Peggy Johnson of Essex, son Scott R. Johnson of Red Oak, Iowa, sisters Eloise Dinsmore and husband Harold of Farragut, and Jo Ann Bergman, two aunts, an uncle and numerous nieces and nephews. May God grant comfort and strength to those who mourn his loss.