Donald N. Johnson

Donald N. Johnson passed away peacefully at his home on October 12, 2022, with his family at his side.  He was born in Pouce Coupe, British Columbia, Canada, on July 26, 1935, to Magnus N. and Elsie Garrett Johnson.  This location was a point of family interest because his father and a brother owned a Ford dealership, the first Ford dealership west of the Mississippi River.

After his father’s death in 1936, the family moved to Ft. St. John, British Columbia, where Don started elementary school.  A few years later his mother married Warren Pratt from Kansas, and the new family then moved to Kansas following Warren’s discharge from the U. S. Army.

While in high school, Don proudly received his U.S. Citizenship.  He graduated from Great Bend High School in 1953 and later enrolled at Kansas University where he received a degree in Civil Engineering.  While attending KU he met his future wife, Dorothy Wigfield, on a blind date, and they were married two years later.  Don was an active member of the Kansas National Guard until his official discharge in 1964.

From 1959 through 1997 Don was employed with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers but began his career with the District while a student at KU.  His first assignment with the Corps was in Topeka, Kansas, with a new project involving the building of Nike Missile sites.  Following that assignment, his work was with the Kansas City office where he later served for several years as Chief of the Specifications Section in the Engineering Division before retiring.  Following retirement, Don received a special recognition for his service which was a source of great satisfaction.  After retiring from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, he was a consultant for engineering firms for five years before permanently retiring.

Don was a loving father, grandfather, and husband who enjoyed coaching his children’s sports, building and flying model airplanes, fishing, keeping the family’s vehicles operating efficiently, keeping electrical and mechanical items working and watching KU sports.  He enjoyed telling people about playing table tennis with basketball legend, Wilt Chamberlain, while at KU; when asked if he ever beat Wilt, Don’s reply was, “He had longer arms than I did”.

Don was preceded in death by his paternal father, Magnus, his mother and father, Elsie and Warren Pratt, his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Bill and Ruth Wigfield,  brother-in-law, Dan Wigfield, and brother-in-law, Ned Montgomery.

In this past year, Don’s focus was on God’s love, forgiveness, and promises.  Don is survived by his wife of 62 years, Dorothy, son, Eric (Nichole), daughter, Emily Fisher (Chad), granddaughters Anna and Clara Fisher and Avery Johnson, sister, Margaret Pratt Montgomery, Uncle, Normand Pratt, nephews Darren McNeely and Brian Wigfield and nieces Donna Franke and Audrey Lodwig.

A visitation will be held on Friday, November 18th from 12 to 1 PM at Amos Family Funeral Home.  A memorial service will follow starting at 1 PM.

Memorial donations in Donald's name may be made to:

David Jeremiah

P. O. Box 3838

San Diego, CA. 92163

(DavidJeremiah.org)

Gary Sienese Foundation

P. O. Box 40726

Nashville, TN. 37204

(garysinesefoundation.org)

The V Foundation for Cancer Research

14600 Weston Parkway

Cary, NC. 27513

(donate.v.org)