Olen Doyle Johnson

Olen Doyle Johnson of McGregor died May 31, 2015, at the age of 86. Funeral services will be held June 13 at 10:00 a.m. at Cole Funeral Home Chapel, 1113 West Fifth Street, McGregor with Rev. David Thompson officiating. Interment will follow in McGregor Cemetery. Visitation will be June 12, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Cole Funeral Home. His friends knew him as Doyle and co-workers called him “O.D.”

Doyle was born September 30, 1928, in Coryell City, TX, the son of the late Samuel Frank and Ceylia Ann (Cluck) Johnson. He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1947. He married Bettye Jo Byford of McGregor on November 26, 1952.

After high school, Doyle worked at several jobs including as a salesman at the 7-Up Bottling Co. in Waco and as a grocery clerk in Waco, Brownwood and his father’s grocery in Coryell City. He was also a salesman/truck driver for the Rainbow Bread Co. in Waco. He worked as a material expeditor for Philips Petroleum (later Astrodyne, then Rocketdyne) in McGregor starting in 1954. The couple moved to Brigham City, UT in 1959 where he worked at Thiokol Chemical Corp. They moved to Mountain View, CA in 1961; to Lancaster, CA in 1963; and to Sunnyvale, CA in 1965 all working for United Technologies. In 1968, they moved to Camden, AR working for Aerojet-General before moving to Dallas in 1969 to work for LTV Corp. In February 1970, the family moved back to Sunnyvale, CA where Doyle was employed as a Quality Manager at FMC Corp., in San Jose, CA. Doyle’s work required the family to move to Waterloo, Belgium in 1981. They moved to San Jose, CA in 1983 where they lived until Doyle's retirement in 1990 at which time they returned to Texas. After living for a brief time in Waco, Doyle and Bettye returned to their home town of McGregor, Texas.

Doyle never met a stranger. Even though he worked all over the U.S., many of his past employees kept in touch with him for many years, after his retirement. In his retirement, Doyle liked to volunteer mowing the lawns at College Avenue Baptist Church, where he was a member, and for neighbors in need. He also worked as a part time car salesman for both Byford and Spitzer Motors. Doyle has lived in California with his son and family since the passing of his wife of fifty-seven years in July 2010.

Doyle held a third degree in the McGregor Masonic Lodge No. 376 since June 1955 and held a 32 degree in the Waco Scottish Rite since April 1956.

Preceding him in death were brother Cullen Frank Johnson Sr. and sisters Bernice Williams, Bonnis Goff; and Gene McCallister.

Survivors include his son Terry Johnson and wife Lina, a granddaughter, Susan Watkins; two great grandchildren Kaiyah Little and Elijah Watkins of Manteca, California; a sister, Doris Powell of Stephenville; and many loving nieces including Sylvia Ferrill of McGregor, Cindy Napper of Allen, TX and Hurleen Goff Collins of Avinger, TX and nephew Bill Powell of Stephenville as well as great nieces and nephews.

For those desiring, the family has suggested College Avenue Baptist Church, 202 S. Adams, McGregor, Texas 76657 for memorial contributions.