Ralph P. Johnson

CLERGY
Rev. Steve McHone
MUSIC
Jerry and Jerry Webber
playing his guitar and both singing
"Amazing Grace"
"Old Rugged Cross"
Ralph P. Johnson was born to Ralph E. and Helen (Wolff) Johnson on June 1, 1918 in Yankton, South Dakota. He grew up in Yankton with his parents and two brothers, Richard and Donald. He graduated from Yankton High School in 1938. He entered the United States Army in 1942.
On May 28, 1941 he married Geraldine Reynolds at the Evangelical United Brethren Church at Yankton. To this union three children were born: William “Bill,” Donna, and Scott. He worked as an apprentice under contractor William Wolff, building many wonderful homes in Yankton and Vermillion. He loved woodworking, from making wooden toys for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to many fine violins later in his life He worked in different departments at the South Dakota Human Services Center for many years. Ralph was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason with the Yankton Consistory. His wife, Jerry, died in May of 1961 at the age of 38, leaving a deep sadness for him and his children.
He married Violet Lorang in April 1963. They traveled, camped, and enjoyed rock hounding for several years. They would park their trailer at Chief White Crane campsite for several weeks in the summertime. They enjoyed working on the house and making improvements on the home that he originally built in 1946. Violet died in 2008.
During the last eight years, his son Scott cared for him in his home, as Ralph had requested.
He had great faith in his salvation and the power of the Lord. He accepted Christ as his Personal Savior as a young boy and attended Evangelical United Brethren Church and Trinity Lutheran Church.
Ralph was welcomed into Heaven on November 13, 2014 at the Midlands Hospital in Papillion, NE having attained the age of 96.
He is survived by his children: Donna Johnson of Yankton, Scott Johnson and Kim Stock of Bellevue, NE, daughter-in-law Cynda Johnson of Nashville, TN; grandchildren: Matthew Chase of Bellevue, NE, Becky McFarlane (Bill Boors) and Noel Johnson of Fairview, TN, Shawn (Nicole) Williams of Savage, MN, Jerry (Jerry) Webber of Yankton; and great-grandchildren Dakota McFarlane of Fairview, TN, Daniel Webber of Yankton, Jakob Webber of Beresford, and Caitlin and Hannah Stock of Bellevue, NE.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Jerry, second wife Violet, parents Ralph E. and Helen D., son Bill, brothers Donald and Richard, mother-in-law Martha Reynolds, and brother-in-law Frank Reynolds.