Joe Dan Johnson

Joe Dan Johnson, 67, of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, peacefully passed away on May 7, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was born on February 7, 1957 in Taylor, Texas to Joe and Mary Johnson. He was proud of his heritage; a 3rd-generation Texan, and the great-grandson of Swedish immigrants that settled in central Texas.

As an infant, his family moved to Lake Jackson, Texas and became well-known cattle ranchers. He was raised in a close and supportive family, and cherished the relationships he had with his parents and siblings. Those tight family bonds remained strong throughout his life and reached to all sides of his extended family. He graduated from Brazoswood High School in 1975 and had remained lifelong friends with many of those classmates and neighbors. While in high school he was one of the first employees of the Dairy Bar in Lake Jackson which instilled his craving for jalapeño burgers over the next 50 years. Growing up, he was active in church, youth sports, Boy Scouts of America, and Future Farmers of America. His connection with church grew even stronger as a member of the beloved "Forever Family" from Christ Lutheran Church. As a young adult, he taught himself to play the banjo and guitar, and was given the nickname "Banjoe Dan". He was a gifted musician that could quickly learn a song by ear and later picked up the mandolin and fiddle. He spent several years serving in the Lutheran Church, first as a youth staffer in Pennsylvania, then as a volunteer on the music team playing at national youth gatherings, and later accompanying friends on special songs during Sunday worship. Jam sessions at home with friends included lots of Willie Nelson hits.

In the mid-90's, Joe Dan met the love of his life, Dana, and they married in 1998. He was Dana's rock, and her best friend; he was her everything. In 2000, they welcomed their daughter Jody. She was his greatest gift in life and he was her biggest fan. She loved her dad dearly, and he was so incredibly proud of all her accomplishments throughout the years, including her graduation from Texas A&M University last year. Together, their small family of 3 will forever be blessed that they were always able to show each other unconditional love and expressed it through their words, laughter and actions every day. Joe Dan poured so much love into Dana and Jody and it was an honor for them to reflect his love back to him. Everyone that ever met Joe Dan quickly knew how much he loved and adored his wife and daughter.

For more than four decades, Joe Dan made his mark in the ready mix concrete industry and has been called a legend and industry icon. He was a leader and key contributor at the state and local level in TACA, ACI, ASTM and TCPA, as well as a long-standing member of NRMCA. Throughout his career he was a valued mentor for the next generation, and was highly-respected for his work and collaborations on numerous projects. In his early years, he lived and worked in several states out west, before returning to Texas. He was well-known for his unwavering work ethic, strong business relationships and highly-valued advice. He believed helping his company and his customers achieve their very best was the core to everything.

Through the years, Joe Dan loved traveling with Dana and Jody; Europe and anywhere in the mountains were his favorite destinations. In his down-time he enjoyed watching football, golf and wrestling. It began with the Houston Oilers, and later the Cowboys, Chiefs, Texas Aggies and Longhorns. As empty-nesters, Joe Dan and Dana moved to the Texas Hill Country town of Horseshoe Bay, and frequently made the hour trip back to Round Rock to see treasured friends and neighbors. Joe Dan was a generous man and lived a fulfilled life. He was well-loved by many and was often the first to check in on a friend to see how they were doing. His smile and funny stories will be deeply missed.

Joe Dan is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Dana, and his daughter Jody. He also leaves behind his twin brother Donny (Cathy) Johnson of Star, TX, his sister Lisa (Don) Greak of Clute, TX, his brother Bobby Northam of Lake Jackson, TX, his brother Pat (Patty) Northam of Lake Jackson, TX, and a large extended family including his treasured uncle, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Mary Johnson, his father-in-law Merlin Dunahoo, his sister-in-law Darlene Northam, and his brother-in-law Rick Brock.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Joe Dan's honor, delivered to the family home in Horseshoe Bay. His family will be sharing the donations with the many organizations near and dear to his heart, as well as grief support groups and cancer research.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, June 15, 2024 at 1PM at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Austin, TX. The family will receive visitors beginning the hour before the service, and a reception will be held in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. The service will also be livestreamed on the Gethsemane website.

A hometown Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 1PM at the West Brazos Columbus Club Hall on Hwy 36 in Brazoria. The family will receive visitors beginning the hour before the service, and a reception will be held immediately following the service.