My Dad...
My Dad was the world to me..
There was rarely a day go by that I didn't see my dad or at least talk to
him on the phone. Every afternoon, dad would call me at 3:15, and ask
me "why haven't you checked in yet?" I don't get off work til 3:00, and it
took me 8 minutes to drive home...dad...let me pee please...
I could always count on dad when I had car trouble, a flat, a dead battery..
I knew I could call dad....."dad...it's broke again..."
My dad was a "people person". When he retired, he missed having so many
people to talk to during the day...."dad..I just talked to you five minutes ago....
oh..right..I love you too..."
Right after dad retired, I was working 3rd shift, I would get off at 7 a.m. and he would
be waiting for me downtown..parked in the parking lot of a grocery store,
just so he could wave at me on my way home, of course I always
stopped to talk to him..he said he didn't want anything..just wanted to wave at me on
my way home.
Every year on my birthday, dad would go and pick out some silly
birthday card for me, always something about 'me' getting old...like he wasn't older?
Dad had just gotten a computer last fall....he loved that thing..
he would get on his Instant Messenger and write me silly stuff ("I so sweet... I so pretty..
you love your daddy..I is purtier then you...") whenever we were online at the same
time..almost every night....DROVE ME CRAZY....His I.M. name was 'ValkyrieDon'..
Dad had tattoos on his arms..my favorite one was Donald Duck
For as long as I can remember dad has had a motorcycle of some sorts..
mostly Harley's..he loved his bikes.. his last was a Valkyrie.
Dad loved playing (showing off) on his backhoe...or in his dumptruck....or on his tractor
Dad owned his own radiator repair shop...he definatly knew what he was doing !!!
My dad...the busiest man I've ever known..never got tired of doing, doing, doing...
Dad would meet me for lunch in town..some weeks everyday..but at least 3 times a week,
I only get a 20 minute lunch break, but he would still come up from Coffeeville,
to spend 10 minutes with me.
Dad won't be calling me anymore, no more birthday cards, no more silly messages,
I won't ever see Donald Duck again, I'll never ride on his bike with him again,
or watch him show off on his backhoe, he'll never fix another radiator for me again,
and he won't be meeting me for lunch anymore. I'll never be able to pick up the
phone and say "hey dad...guess what...I need you.."
The phone won't ring at 3:15 .... I'll never hear "why haven't you checked in yet?"
and ValkyrieDon won't be telling me how much he loves me.....
My dad's gone...gone to be with his mom, dad, and little brother..
I don't know how in the world I will get by without my dad..
Dad...I love You..
Rhonda
Obituary - Commercial Appeal
COFFEEVILLE - Donald Lee Johnson, 64, retired employee of Borg Warner
Industries and owner of Johnson Radiator and Repair, died of heart failure
Friday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Browning Funeral
Home with burial in Pinecrest Cemetery in Yalobusha County. He was a
member of the Gold Wing Road Rider's Association and a member of ABATE.
Mr. Johnson, the husband of Sara Johnson, also leaves four daughters, Rhonda
Burrowes of Water Valley and Mary Harbour and Jo Ann Langkawel, both of
Coffeeville, and Patricia Lincoln of Twin Falls, Idaho; two sons, Don Johnson
Jr. of Coffeeville and Larry Langkawel of Grenada; two brothers, Ron Johnson
of Twentynine Palms, Calif., and Robert Johnson of Claremont, Calif., 20
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Donald Lee Johnson, Sr. son of the late Alex and Nora Booth Johnson was born Aug. 2, 1936.
died, Dec. 29, 2000.
Preceded in Death were his youngest brother, "Butch" and parents Alex and Nora Booth Johnson.
Don was:
Husband of Sara
Identical twin brother of Ron,
Younger brother of Robert,
Father of Don Jr. and Rhonda
Step-father of Patti, Mary, Larry, and JoAnne
Grandfather of Kelsey, Wayne, Scott, Tami, DJ, and 15 step-grandkids,
Great-grandfather of Hunter.
Friend to everyone who knew him.
E-Mail Rhonda