Roger K. Johnson

Roger Keith Johnson, 86 of Kanawha passed away on Sunday evening, February 23, 2014 at Kanawha Community Home in Kanawha.

Funeral services for Roger Johnson will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 2:00 PM at Kanawha Lutheran Church, 124 West Fourth Street in Kanawha, with Pastors Geoffrey and Char White and Pastor Steve Schulz officiating.  Burial will be at Amsterdam Cemetery in Kanawha.

Visitation for Roger Johnson will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, February 28, 2014, at Ewing Funeral Home, 118 East Second Street in Kanawha, and  one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Roger was born June 19, 1927 in Goodell to Gundvel and Nellie (Hanson) Johnson.  He graduated from Kanawha High School in 1944.  He enlisted in the Navy and served on the Aircraft Carrier USS Commencement Bay until 1948 when he was honorably discharged.  On August 7, 1949, he was united in marriage to Margaret Haupt.  To this union three children were born; Larry, Ruth, and Duane.

Roger was manager of the Farmers CO-OP Elevator at Kanawha for 14 years.  He was also a salesman for Midland Cooperative and later purchased Roger’s U-Save and Roger’s Super Valu, the grocery store in Kanawha, which he operated for a number of years.  Roger also farmed for a few years east of Kanawha.  After selling the farm, they moved to Lake Cornelia and he worked as a car salesman for Cambier Chevrolet in Clarion.  Roger also managed elevators in Rowan, Iowa and Volga, Iowa before retiring in 1989.

Roger and Margaret were also fortunate to enjoy many winters of retirement at Weslaco, Texas.

Roger is survived by his wife Margaret; son Larry (Charla) Johnson of Emerson, Iowa, daughter Ruth (Randy) Osterbur of Quincy, Illinois, and son Duane (special friend Pam) Johnson of Monterey, California; grandchildren Josh (Jen) Johnson of Iowa City, Andrea (Tony) Root of Omaha, Laura (Heath) McGrew of Omaha, Alison Osterbur of Chicago, Kara (Prakash) Jayabalan of Pittsburgh, and Kyle Osterbur of Pittsburgh; great-grandchildren Tyler, Brennan, Gabriel, and Harper Johnson of Iowa City, Iowa and Korynne and Jackson Root of Omaha, Nebraska; sisters Audrey (Paul) Friedow Christiansen of Madison, South Dakota; Dolores (Gordon) Severson of Luther, Iowa; sister-in-law Kathy Johnson of Kanawha, Iowa.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents; sisters LaVonne Freeman, Arlene Engh Kirsch, and Maryen Thomson; and brothers Kenneth Johnson and Glen Johnson.

Memorials may be given to the Kanawha Lutheran Church or the Kanawha Community Home.