Paul J. Johnson
October 19, 1928 - August 5, 2006

Paul Johnson Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, Henderson-Barker Funeral Home, 201 Pedersen St., West Branch. Visitation: 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, funeral home. Paul J. Johnson, 77, West Branch, died suddenly Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006. The Rev. Dennis Martin will officiate. Burial with military honors will be at the West Branch Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established. Mr. Johnson was born Oct. 19, 1928, in Jonesboro, Ill. the son of James E. and Esther M. Lyerly Johnson. He married Rosemary Wernicke on April 11, 1953, in Chicago. He was a graduate of Calumet High School and later Roosevelt University, Chicago. He had been employed at the Rock Island Arsenal for many years, retiring in 1993. He was an U.S. Army veteran serving during the Korean conflict. He was a member of the West Branch American Legion. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Mike Johnson and wife Leesa of West Branch, Richard Johnson and partner Megan Knight of Iowa City and David Johnson and wife Jennie Embree of West Branch; four daughters, Patricia Haviland and husband Andrew of Oakton, Va., Meg Ruzek and husband Steve of Montezuma, Paula Verlo and husband Arlyn of West Branch and Katie Ruzek and husband Gregg of West Branch; 12 grandchildren, Matthew and Madison Johnson, Chris and Mike Verlo, Jennifer Bentley, Amanda, Kyle and Rebekah Ruzek, Anneke Johnson, Aaron, Sarah and Ethan Haviland; and three great-grandchildren, Hannah, Noah and Sean Bentley. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Lucretia Peterson; and a granddaughter, Rachel Haviland.

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