Ralph Emil Johnson

Ralph Emil Johnson, 87 years young, of Sun City, Georgetown, Texas, passed away with his family by his side on Monday, April 15, 2013. He was born on September 13, 1925 in Sterling, Colorado to parents Florence and Edward Johnson. Ralph was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, cousin, uncle, and friend who will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by brothers: Edward Johnson, Ernest Johnson and wife Faith, and sisters: Lenore Carey and husband Ben, Dorothy Williams and husband Ted, and Lorraine Salonites and husband Constantine.

Ralph is survived by his loving wife, Helen; daughters, Gail Johnson-Hogan and husband Ed, of Fayetteville, Arkansas and Kristie Johnson-McBee and husband Calvin, of San Antonio, Texas; sons, Mark Johnson and wife Gena, of Sugar Land, Texas, and Kent Johnson of Georgetown, Texas and partner Scott Ellis of Lago Vista, Texas; sister-in-law, Darlene Johnson of Denver, Colorado; and seven grandchildren, Nathan and Michael Hogan, Catherine, Christine, and Crosby Johnson, and Jennifer and Jeremy McBee.

He was raised in Manitou Springs, Colorado through his high school years. He served in the United States Navy - July 1, 1943 through June 26, 1946. He attended a special V-12 Navy Program at University of Colorado (Boulder,) Colorado College (Colorado Springs,) and Northwestern Midshipman School (Chicago). He was commissioned as an officer at age 19. He served principally in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska helping to train Russian Allies as part of the HULA project during WWII.

Ralph graduated from the University of Denver with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (1948). Ralph married Helen Tuftedal July 6, 1946 at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois. They re-affirmed their wedding vows July 6, 2011 at Christ Lutheran Church in Georgetown, Texas.

Helen and Ralph lived in Chicago Illinois following his service with the Navy where he was employed by Argonne National Laboratories, Atomic Energy Commission (1948-1956). During this time in Chicago, Ralph was an active member of the church Congregation of Nazareth Lutheran Church (President of Church Council). Also in Chicago, he was the sole Swedish member of the Norwegian Glee Club.

They moved their growing family to Seattle, Washington, where he was employed with Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (1956-1960). In Seattle, Ralph was an active member of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (President). He later transferred with Connecticut General Life Insurance Company to Portland, Oregon (1960-1962). Ralph joined Western General Life Insurance Company in Houston, Texas (1962-1997) serving as Vice President of marketing (1962-1975), Vice President of Insurance Service (1975-1984), and CEO and Director of WGL (1984-1997).

In Houston, Ralph was an active member of St. Martin’s Lutheran Church (Church Council, President of the Congregation, church choir, and Sunday School teacher ) a volunteer with the Shriners Association, the Boy Scouts of America - Sam Houston area Council, American Heart Association, and Mended Hearts. When he retired in 1997 they moved to Sun City, Georgetown, Texas.

In Georgetown, Ralph was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church (Church Council and Men’s Ensemble,) volunteer with The Caring Place (Board of Directors,) Williamson County and State of Texas American Heart Association, the Sun City Singers (charter member,) Kiwanis Club (charter member,) and the Shriners Association. He worked part-time for Pulte Del Webb, Cook Walden Davis Funeral Home, Financial Freedom, and GISD as a substitute teacher for local elementary schools.

Sweetheart, Ralph, Dad, Papa was devoted to Helen, his wife of 66 years. The spiritual bond of their marriage provided the inspiration for another of Ralph’s greatest loves; singing. He loved to sing. He was proud to be the only Swede in the Norwegian Glee Club in Chicago and loved to brag about that around Helen’s Nordic relatives. He carried his passion for music and singing from Chicago to Seattle, from Portland to Houston, holding a special fondness for the hymns and soaring melodies of the church choirs. We loved watching him perform in countless Christmas and Easter concerts, and he was always particularly excited whenever he was given a solo, rehearsing it at home or in the car for the weeks leading up to each performance. A sixteen-year member of the Sun City Singers, (one of Georgetown’s busiest performance groups) he was beloved by baritones, altos, sopranos, and tenors alike, joyously contributing to the creation of their annual Christmas, Spring, and Fourth of July concerts for the community. His most cherished songs and lullabies, however, were saved for his family (and special friends) where he would sing his children to sleep in their early years, surprise and often exasperate them crooning the “Birthday Song” via phone EVERY year, help lead rounds of songs with his sons at Scout camp, and endear them all to the silly ditties and folk songs he learned throughout the years, like: “It was just an old beer bottle . . .” or “Oh a hunka-dora, don’t spit on the floor-a.” In his final days, surrounded by his family, he was still able to sing-along with them as they led him through their favorite songs.

He was devoted to his faith, his family, and his friends, and taught his children that serving others is the greatest contribution we can make in life, setting the example by volunteering for countless events within the church and community. He was a champion of civil rights and social issues; we will always cherish his compassion for those less fortunate, for those in need. He was our storyteller, our teacher, our advisor, our protector and defender, and our guide. He personified faith in action and strived to instill the finest values within his family and community. We laughed with him, we respected him, we appreciated him, we loved him. And we will always miss him.

A memorial service to celebrate Ralph’s life will be held at three o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 11th of May, 2013 at Christ Lutheran Church, 510 Luther Drive in Georgetown, Texas with Pastors Paul Kersten and Cheryl Lamaak presiding. A reception will follow immediately in the Fellowship Hall of Christ Lutheran Church. The family will have a private memorial service for an inurnment at Crystal Valley Cemetery in Manitou Springs, Colorado this summer.

Memorials may be made in Ralph’s memory to: The Caring Place, 2000 Railroad Street, Georgetown, TX 78626.

Arrangements by Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564.