Carl J. “CJ” Johnson, 89, of Murphysboro, IL, passed peacefully into eternal rest on the 27th of January 2020, in the comfort of his own home. Carl breathed his last breath with family at his side, knowing that his Eternal Soul would be with Jesus Christ, his Lord and savior.
Carl was born in Carbondale, IL on January 9th, 1931 to Chester Sydney Johnson and Mary Margaret (Underhill) Johnson. Carl was an adventurous, hardworking, and patriotic young man. Growing up during the Depression, Carl learned the value of hard work and perseverance as he began working at a young age delivering papers and working at other odd jobs. He learned early on the responsibility of service and love of country as Carl watched many of his brothers go off to serve in World War II. Being too young to enlist for service in the war, Carl collected metal and materials for the war effort with his neighborhood buddies.
Carl graduated from Carbondale Community High School in 1949 and then immediately enlisted in the United States Air Force. After basic training, Carl shipped out to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. Carl was a clerk and an IBM technician at the base; whose function was a major supply depot for the war in Korea. Clark AFB at that time was used as a base of operations by US and Filipino troops to defeat the Communist Huck Rebellion. Carl and his fellow Airmen
repelled Communist invaders who tried to break through the base perimeter and steal ordinance from the ammo bunkers.
After the war and his time in the military, Carl took a job working and traveling with Automatic Electric. He traveled the country working as a construction Foreman building some of the first GTE switching facilities for local and long-distance telephone service. He retired from GTE with 40 years of service.
Carl had two children, Tierney M (Johnson) Montgomery and Timothy Carl Johnson, by his first wife who was tragically killed in an automobile accident that claimed his wife’s mother as well.
Carl married Mary Ann (Harbauer) Roberts on December 26th, 1964. Mary Ann had two children from her first marriage, Richard L. and Stephen E. Mary Ann’s first husband died of cancer at a young age.
Carl and Mary Ann then had three more boys, Jeffrey Scott, Gregory Alan, and Brian Jay. Gregory Alan was tragically lost to this world on June 17th, 1992.
Carl enjoyed telling jokes and making those around him laugh. He grew daylilies by the hundreds, cross-pollinating and germinating them lovingly all by hand… Just for fun! Carl had a magnetic personality and radiated warmth wherever he went even if it was just to his cardiac rehab class and he was truly loved by all.
Carl is survived by his wife Mary Ann of 55 years, sons Brian Jay (Emily) Johnson of Murphysboro IL, Jeffrey Scott Johnson of Milton, FL, Richard L(Jill) Johnson of North Richland Hills, TX, Stephen E (Hilan) Johnson of Warrington, PA, Timothy Carl (Cindy) Johnson of Valrico, FL, and one daughter Tierney Margaret (Johnson) [Ed] Montgomery Tampa, FL. Carl was a loving grandfather to Lucas, Olivia, Grant, Alex, Hannah, Julie, Ryan, Stephen, Lauren, Audrey, Annabelle, Natalie, Catherine, Iian, Cassie, Kristina, Jena, Josh, Nicole, and many great-grandchildren.
Carl was preceded in death by his mother, father, and brothers Chester, James, Harold(infant), Charles, Jack, Billy Lee, Richard, Jimmy(infant), and his beloved son Gregory Alan.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be given to Honor Flight of Southern Illinois. https://
www.veteranshonorflight.org/donate
The Johnson family would like to extend our sincerest thank you to the staff and medical personnel of Residential Hospice, Carbondale Memorial Hospital, St Joseph Hospital of Murphysboro and a special thank you to Carl’s personal physician Dr. Anad Salem, his endoscopist Dr. Shiva Marulendra and all the cardiac rehab staff who visited Carl in the hospital and helped celebrate his 89th birthday.
No public services are planned. Carl’s family will observe a celebration of his life later in the year.
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