Richard Johnson

JOHNSON
Richard Scott Johnson
March 15, 1939
April 21, 2012

Richard Scott Johnson died Saturday morning, April 21st in Austin, Texas. He succumbed to a stroke after struggling with complications from diabetes. He was 73 years old. Richard was born March 15, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan to Walter and Betty Johnson. After attending Flat Rock High School, he studied theology at Emmanuel Missionary College (now Andrew's University) in Berrien Springs from 1957 to 1959. He then enrolled at Hinsdale Hospital School of Nursing, and earned his AS in Nursing in 1961. Richard joined the U.S. Army in 1962 and served as a medical-surgical nurse while stationed at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam and nurse supervisor in Munich, Germany. He continued his education while in the military at Loma Linda University, earning his BS in Nursing in 1970. Afterward, he served as head nurse of the Burn Unit at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas. Richard retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. Richard turned his career in a new direction, attending St. Mary's University School of Law, graduating in 1977. After first serving as the lead attorney in the San Antonio law office of Guy Allison, he established his own law firm, later adding Scott Jones to the firm as a partner in Johnson and Jones. He practiced personal injury tort law for 17 years as both plaintiff's and insurance defense counsel and seven years as mediator for the foster care system and other types of cases. Richard valued honesty and education and impressed those values on his three children. He took pride in and had immense love for his kids and grandkids. He taught himself how to sail, sharing this passion with his children on their visits to Texas every summer. He loved photography, travel, woodworking, board and video games, gardening, birding, camping and canoeing. He loved nature and passed that love on to his family. Richard will also be remembered for his affable and unassuming manner, his integrity, intelligence, work ethic, personal responsibility and sense of humor. A typical and oft-repeated saying was, "We are off like a herd of turtles." To keep his far-flung family united and to fulfill his love of traveling, he began a tradition of reunions every two years at a new location in the United States. Over the years, the family visited Flagstaff, AZ, Taos, NM, Hood River, OR, Boone, NC, Livingston, MT, Brighton, UT, and Bend, OR. Richard is survived by his brother, Robert Johnson, his daughter, Ivanna Kern, and two sons, Ken Johnson and Bruce Johnson, and their mother, Maria Johnson. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Aubrey and Madison Kern, and Melia and Adam Johnson. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made to the Adventist Relief and Development Agency (www.adra.org) Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com Arrangements by:
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home
3125 N Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 452-8811