Donald Johnson

OTTAWA, Ill. - Donald Carl Johnson, 77, went to be with the Lord on Sept. 8, 2025.

Born in Algona, Iowa, Donald was a fighter from the very beginning and lived his life with strength, dedication and love for his family. Don was a humble man, who always rooted for the underdog and helped a person in need whenever he could. Private family services will take place at a later date in Auburn, Indiana.

Don is survived by Linda (Jones), his devoted wife of 54 years; his daughters, Jennifer (Terry) Ahearn and Jessica (Kyle) Stanko; his grandchildren, Jacob and Matthew Ahearn and Addison and Regan Stanko; sisters-in-law, Donna Jones, Mary Jane Nodine and Sharon Hahn; and his aunt, Beverly Babbitt. Don dearly loved his nieces and nephews, Sarah, Carrie and Adam.

Don and his twin brother, Dave, delivered the Garrett Clipper and the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette newspapers on their bicycles. The bakery next to the newspaper office opened at 1:30 a.m., and according to Don, served the best glazed doughnuts he ever had in his whole life, right out of the oven for 5 cents apiece. At 2 a.m., the paper office opened, and delivery routes were completed before sunrise. Although you were supposed to be 12 years old to have a paper route, an exception was made for the Johnson boys, who were only 10 years old when they started learning about responsibility. Don was an excellent cook, a skill learned as a teenager, by preparing dinner each day before his mother, Lois, came home from work. Don has been joyfully reunited with Dave, whom he has dearly missed for 34 years.

As a youngster, Don loved to watch the giant steam engines that would come and go through Garrett, Indiana. It was a true railroad town and Don loved to tell stories about his childhood and remembering the time he spent working for the railroad as a young man, before he joined the Navy. He proudly served his country from 1967 to 1971, including a tour on the Naval Aircraft Carrier, the USS Enterprise. During his time in the service, he discovered his calling as a dental laboratory technician, a profession he went on to practice with unwavering pride and commitment for 40 years.

Don left us pages of handwritten stories about his days working on the railroad. At end of his memories, he asked us to listen to the song "Angels Among Us" by Alabama.

To honor Don, the family asks that you make someone's day brighter with a kind word, a written letter, phone call to a loved one, or a random act of kindness.