David G. Johnson

David George Johnson was born on January 14, 1935, in Hibbing, Minnesota. He died after along illness on October 26, 2024. He was the only son of Edwin and Eleanore (Olson) Johnson of Taconite, Minnesota. In l963 he married Jane Caskey in Phelps, Wisconsin. They had one daughter, Sarah.
David attended elementary school in Taconite and received his secondary education at Greenway High School in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Following high school he enlisted in the Air Force for four years and was stationed in England during the Korean Conflict. After his release from the service in l956 he attended Itasca Junior College for two years. He then received a scholarship to play football in Greeley, Colorado. He graduated in l96l with a degree in Physical Education and Industrial Arts. He earned his Master's Degree at Winona State College.
His first teaching job was in Phelps, Wisconsin. He taught there for two years and spent the rest of his teaching career in Wausau where he taught Physical Education at the old Horace Mann School in downtown Wausau and at John Muir. He was also the athletic director and department chairman for many years at both schools. He taught swimming for students from Marathon School for many summers and he worked with another instructor to develop an adapted curriculum for students in the special education program in the Wausau schools. He always had an interest in keeping students safe in the water.
Most of Dave's early sports participation was in hockey. He played semi-pro hockey in Minnesota and was on the Wausau team when he first came to this area. He was also an assistant hockey coach at Wausau East during the first year of the team. Dave learned from a "winner" when he began coaching football with Win Brockmeyer. He was an assistant coach with him for the final five years of Mr. Brockmeyer's career when he worked as the offensive and defensive line coach. He was the head coach at Wausau East in football for three years and coached football for many years at Horace Mann and John Muir. He also refereed football for many years throughout the state. He coached basketball in Phelps, Wisconsin and at Horace Mann Middle School. He refereed the sport for 25 years and refereed 3 times at the state basketball tournament.
He was a member of the local, state, and national teachers' associations all of his teaching career. He was a member of the Wausau Police and Fire Commission and was president of the commission for two terms. He was instrumental in helping the police and fire chiefs develop a physical fitness test for new recruits. Dave spent most of his retirement years at his home on Lac Vieux Desert where he spent time fishing and working on home projects. He loved to visit with his friends, take them on pontoon rides, and entertain them with stories. He also worked with the Phelps VFW Honor Guard, serving as the commander.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Nancy, brothers-in-law Ken Sjodin, Dick Loy, Bill Caskey, Fred Caskey, and Wayne Schmidt, and sisters-in-law Barbara Caskey, Phyllis Schmidt, Jane Caskey, and Faith Caskey.
He is survived by his wife, Jane, daughter, Sarah Culver, son-in-law, Jeff Culver, and grandsons Jackson and Grant Culver. He also is survived by many nieces and nephews and other family members.
A memorial service will be at 11am on Saturday November 16, 2024 at the Phelps Congregational Church located at 2303 Highway 17 Phelps, WI 54554. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Phelps Cemetery.