Donald Wayne Johnson

Don was born on June 30, 1934, in Ottawa, Illinois, to Oscar and Bertha Johnson. As the youngest of four children, he grew up learning the value of prayer and hard work—qualities that would define his entire life.

While attending Olivet Nazarene College, Don met his first love, Beverly Burton of Connorsville, Wisconsin. They married in the early 1950s and began building a life centered on faith, family, and serving others.

As a teenager, Don suffered a back injury while delivering groceries, preventing him from serving in the military. Instead, he dedicated his career to the Chicago & North Western Railroad, where his steady character and remarkable problem-solving abilities earned the respect of those around him.

Whether on the railroad or at home, there wasn't much that Don couldn't figure out. If something was broken, he could fix it. If there was a problem, he would patiently work until he found a solution, even if he had to invent the solution.

Over the years, Don and Beverly made their homes in Chicago, Garden Prairie, Triumph, and Cherry Valley, all in northern Illinois. Along the way they raised six children, built lifelong friendships, and became deeply involved in their church communities, including Rockford First Church of the Nazarene, Belvidere Church of the Nazarene, Mendota Church of the Nazarene, and Ottawa First Church of the Nazarene (now Crossbridge Community Church).

Don never knew a stranger and always made room at the table for one more, from a lonely neighbor to a guest visiting at church. Perhaps nowhere was Don's heart more evident than in his years as a foster father. Together, Don and Beverly opened their home to more than 200 children. To many of them, he never stopped being "Dad." His quiet strength, gentle guidance, and unwavering love gave countless young people the stability and encouragement they needed.

Don loved capturing family moments on 8mm and VHS tape. He even started a videography business after retirement. He loved tracing his family's history and could happily spend hours researching his genealogy. He enjoyed building things—including a boat—and took pride in creating with his own hands. He was also known for his legendary dad jokes, which often earned more groans than laughs, though he never seemed to mind. He delighted in making others smile. And you rarely heard him when he was not singing a song or a hymn and if he couldn’t remember the words, he would make up lyrics that fit pretty well. (He was the king of Gospel Freestyle.) He didn’t care if you couldn’t carry a tune, he just wanted you to sing with him and “make a joyful noise.”

Above all else, Don was a man of deep and abiding faith. A song and a prayer were never far from his lips, and his trust in God shaped every season of his life. He lived his faith not only in church but in the kindness he showed, the family he loved, the children he welcomed, and the countless ways he quietly served others. Don and Beverly made many mission trips, at home and abroad, to build buildings, to cook and do laundry, and to show the love of Jesus to others. And they sang duets wherever they went.

Following Beverly's passing on September 14, 1997, God blessed Don with a second chapter of love (and gave the kids a second mom) when he married Glenna Cannaday Koker in 1999. They made their home in Largo, Florida, in the same home where Glenna has lived since 1958. Together they, too, did mission trips and traveled. They played games and opened their home to as many who would accept the invitation. They enjoyed their years together surrounded by family and friends, and lots of laughter and kisses. The family harmony and love between the Johnsons and the Kokers was extraordinary as they love each other well.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Bertha Johnson; his siblings, Paul Johnson (Reita), Elda Featherston (Ron), and Norma Craig (David); his first wife, Beverly (Burton) Johnson; and his infant daughter, Karen Angela Johnson, who was stillborn on March 6, 1963.

He is survived by his loving wife, Glenna Johnson; his children, Donna Taylor (Matthew), Robert Johnson, Richard Johnson, Burton Johnson (Nancy Burnett), Lysa Rigo, and Timothy Johnson (Laurie Loofboro); his stepchildren, Jeff, Kathy, Tracy, Chuck, and Shaun; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and countless foster children whose lives were forever changed by his love and generosity.

Don's legacy is not measured simply by the years he lived, but by the lives he touched. He leaves behind a family rooted in faith, a trail of problems solved, songs sung, jokes told, and hundreds of people who are better because they were loved by him. His family rejoices in knowing that he has heard the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Graveside: Arlington Cemetery in Rockford, IL. Friday, Sept. 4 at 1 pm

Celebration of Life: Crossbridge Church, 421 Building in Ottawa, IL Sunday, Sept. 6 from 1-3 pm.