Gary L. Johnson

Gary Lee Johnson, 74, of Daykin, passed away at his home, Monday, March 23, 2015.

He was the second child born to Rex and Catherine (Schoenholz) Johnson February 2, 1941, in Nampa, Idaho. He and his family moved back to Nebraska in 1945.

Gary attended country school in Alexandria and Bruning and then went to Bruning High School, graduating with the class of 1958. In high school, he participated in football, basketball, track, and class play and his favorite class was shop.

On June 3, 1960, he married Patsy Morris and to this union three sons were born—Dennis, Bradley, and Patrick. Then, on August 26, 1977, he married Rachel Drees where together they had two daughters, Kelly and Holly.

During the summer of his high school years, he worked on a custom harvesting crew that traveled throughout the Midwest. After high school, he worked at NKC Grain until he took the manager position at the Daykin Cooperative in 1965. In 1973 he and his first wife, Patsy, built Johnson’s Lounge in Daykin. Then, in 1979, he and his wife Rachel bought the Daykin Lumberyard and added the Bruning Lumberyard in 1993. They owned and operated both businesses until 2010 when they sold them to his sons, Dennis and Patrick. He continued to work there part-time until his death.

Gary was very active in the Daykin community. When his boys were young, he coached them in SFS Little League Baseball and was on the planning committee to help construct the Meridian School. He also served as Daykin Fire Chief and was Village Chairman for many years. Gary was an EMT for the Daykin Rescue Unit and most recently helped at the concession stand in Daykin for summer ball games.

In his retirement, Gary enjoyed his family, watching his grandchildren participate in numerous sporting events, and spending time with his dog, Perky.

He is preceded in death by his parents; daughter-in-law, Kris Johnson; and brother-in-laws Robert Meyerhoff and Bernard Wolfteich.

Survivors include his wife, Rachel, sons Dennis (Linda) Johnson of Daykin, Bradley (Stephanie) Johnson of Lincoln, Patrick (Patty) Johnson of Daykin, daughters Kelly (Chad) Frank of Daykin, and Holly (Tyler) Armagost of Syracuse; 14 grandchildren and 3 step-grandchildren, Tyson and Taylor Johnson; Brady, Spencer, and Blake Johnson; Maddie, J.P., and Peyton Deeds; Allison, Miranda, and Erin Johnson; Hayden, Carson, Tregan, and Averie Frank; Grady and Liam Armagost; brothers Dwayne (Elaine) Johnson of Mt. Vernon, Ill, Lyle (Lynda) Johnson of Hebron, Dale (Anne) Johnson of Oakland, Neb, sister Rita Meyerhoff of Grand Island; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be Friday, March 27, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Daykin, NE with Pastor Connie Raess officiating. The family will greet friends Thursday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery at Daykin. Memorials will go to the Family’s Choice, in lieu of flowers. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home in Fairbury is in charge of arrangements.