Bennett Byron Johnson, 81, of Olathe, Kansas passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. He will forever be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to everyone he knew.
Bennett was born on October 29, 1939 in Grove, Oklahoma to Elwood Byron and Hazel Beatrice (Frazier) Johnson. He attended and graduated from Grove High School. Bennett lived in Grove Oklahoma before moving to the Kansas City Metro area following his graduation from Pittsburg State with an education degree. Further education came from Emporia State and Kansas University where he received his Master’s Degree. He married Mary Kay (Rendleman Slifer) on September 6, 1980 in Olathe Kansas. Bennett taught industrial arts in Stilwell and Ottawa Kansas before moving to Shawnee where he became a special education teacher for the Shawnee Mission Unified School District 512 for 33 years, retiring in 2000. He was a member of Community Covenant Church in Lenexa, Kansas at the time of his passing. He served as an active church youth leader for over thirty years while also participating in eleven adult mission trips to Alaska, multiple youth trips including Mexico and the Appalachians. Eventually he traveled on an adult mission trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. Family members report he participated in approximately twenty mission trips all together including a trip to the Havasu Canyon in Arizona with longtime friend Bob Watson.
His fondest childhood memories were hunting and fishing around Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Bennett was considered a master craftsman. His interests included woodworking, computers, experimental aviation, cooking, gardening and staying tuned into national and local news. He especially enjoyed time with his family including traveling adventures, most recently between Christmas and New Year’s with 11 family members to the beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing gave him more pleasure in life than the times be spent with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be sadly missed.
Bennett is preceded in death by his parents Elwood and Hazel Johnson and is now reunited with his loving son Marc Todd Johnson. He is survived by his wife of forty years, Mary Kay Johnson of the home, former wife Virginia Kay Johnson of Oviedo, Florida, daughter Deborah (Debbie) Kay and spouse Darrell Orr of Geneva, Florida; sons Eric A. Slifer with Jennifer of Poynette, Wisconsin; and Scott D. Slifer with wife Debra(Debby) of Olathe, Kansas. Left behind to cherish his memory are his nine grandchildren: Marc Todd’s children, Joshua, Justin and Natasha; daughter Deborah’s children, Theresa Orr Stabler, Jamie Orr Booth and Randy Orr; Eric’s sons Jonathan and Kenyon; and Scott’s son Cody along with twelve great grandchildren, scattered from Wisconsin to Washington State, California, and Florida.
Bennett will be cremated according to his wishes. A Celebration of Life will be held at Community Covenant Church in Lenexa on April 17th at 10 a.m. followed by a reception with popcorn and ice cream. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Community Covenant Church, specifically to either the fund for a new sanctuary sound system or the church’s Global Mission projects per Bennett’s wishes.
Condolences may be offered at: www.McGilley-Frye.com
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