Virgil A Johnson

February 25, 1920 – September 27, 2010

He was born in Kansas City, MO., in 1920 the first of three children to Sallie Asilee Glasscock, a housewife, and Albert Clarence Johnson, a grocery store owner. Clarence’s parents were immigrants from Sweden who lived nearby for many years. Sallie’s parents were a constant presence in the lives of the children and Nick was especially close to his grandfather, Virgil, for whom he was named.

Nick and his sisters attended school in Kansas City. After graduation from high school, Nick attended college at the University of Missouri at Rolla. During his senior year, he enlisted first in the National Guard and later in the U.S. Army where he served in the Pacific theater as a part of the Army Corps of Engineers.

As he rose through the ranks from Officer to Major, Nick gained leadership experience and the respect of his men. When one group of men in Company D was leaving his command, they put together a letter of thanks in which each wrote about how much they appreciated his consideration of them and how they respected him. With men such as these, he supported maintaining communication lines in the Pacific. Companies under his command also reinforced bridges, installed temporary bridges, removed mines and obstacles, performed heavy construction work and operated a large saw mill. Nick received 2 bronze stars and a purple heart during his service.

While on leave for surgery in Auckland, New Zealand, Nick met his future wife and the love of his life, Jean Armstrong. They were married in 1945 in Kansas City, MO, at his parents’ home before returning to University of Missouri at Rolla so Nick could complete his BS in Chemical Engineering.

After graduation in 1947, Nick began his engineering career with Sinclair Research Lab in Chicago, IL, then Sinclair Rubber and later Petro-Tex in Houston, TX. In 1957, Nick joined the El Paso Products Company where he spent the remainder of his career working first in El Paso and then in Odessa, TX. He began as a Process Engineer, eventually moving to Vice President and Technical Director in 1972 and Vice President of Corporate Development in 1979. He retired in 1984.

Nick was a member of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and The American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He was a graduate of the Engineering and Management School at UCLA. In 1966, he was selected as Engineer of the Year by the Permian Chapter of TSPE. He served on the (J. Peter) Grace Commission. The results of the work were published by McMillan as “War on Waste”. Nick was a task force member along with the EPA, SBA and FEMA. The report was issued to President Ronald Reagan on January 12, 1984.

Nick was a man of God who loved teaching and taught high school students in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Later, he began to teach adults.

He was a loving husband to Jean and a loving father to his four children. He leaves behind his children, Dianne and Pete Kirk, Chris and Marta Johnson, Chuck and Keiko Johnson, and Pam Johnson. He also leaves behind four granddaughters, Lauren and Abigail Johnson and Allison and Megan Dalehite.

While Alzheimers began to steal his memory and coordination, it did not rob him of his spirit or his sense of humor. He died of complications from Alzheimers.

Nick is preceded in death by his sisters Frances Raney and Virginia Hines, brothers-in-law Dick Raney and Jim Hines, nephew Tom Raney and niece, Kathy Hines.

Services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 1, 2010 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4901 Maple Ave. Odessa, Texas 79762.

Services entrusted to Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors.