Verle Dean Johnson was born to Irvin and Anna Nightingale Johnson on February 13, 1929 at Halstead, KS. He laid his armor down and peacefully went to his reward at his home on August 24, 2019 near Houston, MS, reaching the age of 90 years.
Dad spent his growing up years on a farm near Halstead, KS. He had good memories of working and playing with his siblings and neighbor boys. As a young man he gave his heart to the Lord and was baptized into the Church of God in Christ Mennonite by Minister Carl Dirks on December 20, 1942. He remained faithful to God and the church.
In March of 1951, he went to Tucumcari, New Mexico for voluntary service. There he met Sophia Estrada who became his wife on December 30, 1951. Two sons and one daughter blessed this union.
On December 19, 1963, he was called by God and the church to the gospel ministry. He was ordained by Minister A. T. Koehn in the little church at Tucumcari. He served in this office faithfully until his retirement in July of 2012.
In their 67 years together, Dad and Mom spent time in various places. Their first home was in Camp 45, Mexico, where Mom finished a teaching contract. Then they moved to Halstead where we children were born. In 1958 we left for Mexico again, this time as missionaries, and spent nearly 4 years there. After the mission term, we resided in Tucumcari, NM, Leland, MS and Lake Providence, LA. Dad’s occupation during this time was farming & land leveling. After their children were married, they spent 2 years in Aldama, Mexico. In their later years they went to Fort Sumner & Las Vegas, NM as missionaries & helped organize congregations there. Upon retirement from the ministry, they moved to Houston, MS.
At Houston, they lived across the road from their daughter and son-in-law and enjoyed building a close relationship with their grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Dad was a faithful husband & father. His kind, compassionate nature endeared him to many. Dad took a fatherly interest in everyone. He had a tender heart and truly cared for all he met. He was a gentle shepherd who led by example. We are thankful for the spiritual legacy he left.
Those left to mourn his passing are his dear wife, Sophia, their children: Robert and Beverly of Transylvania, LA, Juanita and Maynard Wiggers of Houston, MS and Reuben and Patricia of Jeffersonville, IN, nine grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren; one brother, Lynwood of Mountain Grove, MO; two sisters: Shirley Koehn of Brooksville, MS, Ladonna Hauder of Versailes, MO; one sister-in-law, Roslyn Johnson of Guntersville, AL; his in-laws: Alice and Ernest Baerg of Brooksville, MS; Priscilla Mirabal of Tucumcari, NM; Anita and Jesse Loucks of Detroit, TX; Amadeo and Sylvia Estrada of Garden City, KS; Eleanor and Don Lopez of Tucumcari, NM; Louella and Paul Loucks of Hutchinson, KS; Paul and Liz Estrada of Tucumcari, NM; Daniel Estrada of Tucumcari, NM; two brothers-in-law, Eldon Ensz of Wrens, GA; Pablo and Patsy Lopez of Tucumcari, NM.
Preceding him in death are his parents, his parents-in-law, one grandson, Brendan Wiggers; two brothers; eight brothers-in-law; six sisters-in-law.
A funeral service will be at 10:30 AM, Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at the Okolona Mennonite Church with burial following in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 6 PM to 8:30 PM at the church. Holland Funeral
Directors, Okolona Chapel is entrusted with arrangements. Condolences to the family may be e-mailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net or posted at hollandfuneraldirectors.com.