Sean Ross Johnson, 47, passed away at his residence on June 28, 2026.
He was born on February 14, 1979, in Marion, Illinois, the son of Anne Veech and John E. Johnson.
Sean lived a life filled with adventure, curiosity, and a wide variety of experiences. Throughout his life he worked in sales, the restaurant industry, and acting, He lived in Carbondale, Corpus Christi, Chicago, Los Angeles, and eventually back home to Southern Illinois. He was active in baseball, Tae Kwon Do, and surfing, and he embraced every opportunity to experience life and meet new people.
Sean was intelligent, witty, skeptical, kind-hearted, stubborn, endlessly curious, and uniquely himself. Those who knew and loved him would each have their own stories to add to that list. His sense of humor, thoughtful conversations, and distinctive outlook on life left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him.
He is survived by his mother, Anne Veech; his aunts, Pat Veech (Cecil) Rousseau, and Tina Johnson (Larry) Baker; his uncle, Don Johnson; his cousins, Sara, J.R., Elissa, and Kyle; his fiancée, Emily Starck; her daughters, Zeppelynn and Josselynn, whom he loved dearly; and many other beloved family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, John E. Johnson.
A Celebration of Sean’s Life will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 310 South University Avenue, Carbondale, Illinois, with Pastor Margaret Anne Overstreet officiating. A reception at the church will immediately follow the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Feeding America in Sean’s memory: https://give.feedingamerica.org.
Sean is now one with “the universe” (as he said) and at Peace.
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