Rev. Eric Lee “Rik” Johnson, 69, of Cane Valley, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017.
Eric was born in the Onawa Hospital in Onawa, Iowa, on July 17, 1947, the son of Elaine ‘Bunny’ (Woods) and Fredrick ‘Fred’ C. Warner and later the legally adopted son of Robert ‘Bob’ J. Johnson in 1954.
In his childhood took piano lessons, was a Cub Scout and also known as Rikki throughout high school. Eric was also Drum Major in his junior and senior years in high school marching band, lettering in basketball, baseball and track and held the record in basketball for the most career points until 2016. (This was before the 3-point shot). Eric graduated in 1965 from West Monona High School at Onawa, Iowa, ranked in the top 10 percent of his class.
Eric attended Morningside College for four years. After graduating, he enrolled and graduated from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill.
After being ordained in 1972, he was appointed to a two-charge church. The country church which was later consolidated into the Reading United Methodist Church, West Michigan Conference, Albion District, where he served for four years.
While in Reading and with the help of a supportive congregation and community, they had a very large summer program for youth and outings. Eric also acquired a school bus for transportation for these events.
He was planning to transfer to the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church, but in the process, his papers from Garrett Seminary were not received in time at the Iowa Annual Conference.
Having to provide for his family they moved to Onawa, Iowa where he worked as a carpenter with his dad for a few years. During this time he ministered through music at several area places and at the Onawa/Blue Lake KOA Campground on Sunday mornings. He established and pastored a community church in Ida Grove and then at Storm Lake, Iowa and continued their ‘Ministry of Music.’
Now as a family of six including his four children, Kevin, Jennifer, Jeffrey and Matthew, they moved to St. Charles, Ill. where he was employed in the construction business.
On Dec. 18, 2004, Eric married Jacqueline D. Johnson at the Villas Wesleyan Church in Ft. Myers, Fla.
Eric was an avid sports fan, enjoyed playing softball and tennis and living on the ‘Farm’ in Cane Valley where he continued the appliance business.
Throughout his life, Eric continued his music ministry until his sudden passing away.
He is survived by his wife, Jackie of Cane Valley; her children, Angel (James) Pennyman, Nedra Sue Johnson, Derrick Lamar Johnson; his children and grandchildren, Kevin E. & friend (Stephanie Ericson) of N Ft. Myers, Fla., Jennifer L. (Heiko), Ella Remecz of Ft. Myers, Fla., Jeffrey (Stacey), McKenzie, Carter, Owen and Gwendolyn Johnson of Wooster, Ohio, Matthew K. (Nicole), Matthew and Anika Johnson of St. Charles, Ill.; his mother, Elaine (Woods) Johnson of Onawa, Iowa; brothers, Dennis O. (Betty) of Brainerd, Minn. and Michael R. Johnson of Onawa, Iowa; half-brother, Dr. James D. Warner, D.C. of Keizer, Ore.; half-sisters, Juanita (Gordon) Reeder of Aloha, Ore. and Dr. Merrylee Warner, D.C. of Keizer, Ore.
He was preceded in death by his father, Fred Warner in 1988 and his dad, Bob Johnson in 2014.
Funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Cane Valley Christian Church with Bro. Ivan Tucker officiating. Visitation will be after 1 p.m. on Saturday at the church.
Grissom-Martin Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements. Visit www.grissommartin.com.
