Larry Johnson

Larry R. Johnson, 90, of Iowa City, formerly of Hiawatha, passed away peacefully on October 29, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

Larry was born on April 13, 1935, in Burlington, Iowa, to Richard and Catherine (Bloomberg) Johnson. He graduated from Burlington Community High School and attended Burlington Junior College, where he became an accomplished technical design draftsman, later earning his bachelor's degree from Mount Mercy College.

On August 14, 1955, Larry married his high school sweetheart, Eleanore Crear, and together they began a lifetime of adventures. After serving in the United States Army in El Paso, Texas, Larry and Eleanore returned to Iowa, where he continued his service in the U.S. Army National Guard and began a 40-year career with Rockwell Collins, retiring in 2005 as a Business Director.

Larry took great pride in his community. He served on the Hiawatha Parks and Recreation Committee, where he helped develop what is now Guthridge Park. He was also a longtime Boy Scout leader leveraging his former Forest Ranger expertise. Larry was one of the first ushers at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, eventually becoming head usher and volunteering alongside Eleanore for more than 20 years.

Larry and Eleanore loved traveling, especially touring the state of Iowa on summer bus trips through Iowa Eye to I. He also enjoyed coin and stamp collecting, birdwatching as a member of the Audubon Club, and making his own maple syrup and brandy. One of Larry's favorite past times was cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes and St. Louis Cardinals.

Larry embraced life. He made friends wherever he went-a cheerful, kind, and endlessly interesting man who earned the affectionate nickname "Professor" later in life. Larry was a great listener who took genuine interest in others' lives and brightened every day with his big smile and the familiar twinkle in his eye. He told colorful stories about growing up in Burlington, often with a hint of mischief. He and Eleanore were the kind of parents everyone would be lucky to have. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered.

Larry is survived by his children, Jeffrey (Andrea) Johnson and Cindy (Art) Abrams; grandchildren, Stephanie Johnson (David Wollowick), Abby Abrams, and Drew Abrams; great-grandchildren, Lucas and Caleb Wollowick; and his brother, Dennis (Kathy) Johnson. He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife of 63 years, Eleanore.

Memorial donations may be directed to Iowa PBS or the Iowa City Public Library.