Ronald F. Johnson

Ronald Fay Johnson was born March 27, 1947 in Waterloo, Iowa. He was the son of Robert Johnson of Cedar Falls, Iowa and Wanda Johnson, later Abbe of Waterloo, Iowa. He was raised with the help of his step-parents; Shirley Johnson of Cedar Falls, Iowa and the late Marshall Abbe of Waterloo, Iowa.

Ron was always curious and adventurous. He loved history, cars, boats, travel, and picking for treasure and preservation. As a young teenager, he and other local adventurers constructed a cardboard box and rode it over the Cedar Falls dam, making headlines in the local newspaper.

Ron Johnson’s adventuresome spirit shaped the way he lived. As a young man he was never one to stay on the sidelines, once riding atop a boxcar on a freight train from Waterloo to Chicago, chasing the thrill of the unknown with a fearless sense of curiosity. That same spirit carried him into one of his early adventures: helping to restore the “Satori”, a Chinese junk once owned by the Mayo Brothers of Minnesota. Once restored, he set off on the first of multiple journeys down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.

His greatest and most meaningful adventure began when he met Kay, his soulmate and best friend. Together they shared 41 years of marriage, building a life filled with love, laughter and partnership and raising two children Daniel and Annabeth.

Ron was also an exceptional handyman. Known for his skillful hands and practical ingenuity, he used his self-taught mechanical, technological, and engineering abilities to help family, friends, and neighbors when they were in need. Whether repairing a motor, rigging a boat, restoring a house, or improvising a solution to a stubborn problem, Ron’s competence and willingness to pitch in were a constant comfort to those around him.

Ron was active in the restoration of multiple historic homes in the Iowa City area, at times moving structures to prevent demolition. Ron and Kay achieved multiple awards for their historic preservation work in Iowa City, Iowa mostly in the 1990’s.

In 1999, they embarked on a new chapter, moving to Fort Myers, Florida, where they spent the rest of their years together. Ron continued to enjoy his love of boats, real estate and adventure in Florida, at one point joining in ownership of a private island.

Ron embraced life with grit, wonder, and a willingness to take the road less traveled. He found joy in the journey, the stories along the way, and most of all in the people he loved. That spirit of adventure never left him and will always be part of how he is remembered.

Ron is survived by his step mother, Shirley Johnson of Cedar Falls, Iowa; his beloved wife Kay; their two children and their spouses, Daniel Johnson and Annie Campbell, Annabeth Johnson Fliegel and Brian Fliegel; as well as the granddogs Trooper, Toby and Remy. He is also survived by two sisters, Jody Conner of Cedar Falls, Iowa and Lisa Abbe of Waterloo, Iowa.

Nieces and nephews: Caitlynn Connor of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Andrea Quets of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Bailey Abbe of Vermont; Nathan Quets of Atlanta, Georgia; Casey Connor of Waucoma, Iowa; Marshall Abbe of Des Moines, Iowa; and Jordan Abbe of Waterloo, Iowa; and Rex Conner of Iowa City, Iowa.

A life celebration will be held at the Tiki Hut of our dear friends Steve and Karen Schweizer on Sunday, April 19, at 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The address is 14868 Kimberly Lane, Fort Myers, FL 33908.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heights Foundation in Fort Myers, Florida 33908. heightsfoundation.org.