Murry Harold Johnson

Murry Harold "Bud" Johnson, passed away peacefully at home in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, October 10, 2021 after 81 years of a life well lived. Bud was born November 27, 1939, to Murry E. Johnson and Margaret Myers Johnson in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Bud will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him, including Paula T. Johnson, wife of 58 years, their dog Misty, and a host of friends and family.

After high school, Bud graduated from nearby Midwestern State University (MSU), and went on to graduate from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. It was during their colleges years that Bud and Paula met at the Glorieta Baptist Encampment in New Mexico, and they married in 1963 after Bud moved to Fort Worth.

Along the way, Bud pursued a variety of endeavors. During high school, he raised enough money to buy his first car (plus the parts to soup it up), working at the local White's Auto. In addition to a lifelong "need for speed", Bud was armed with a natural passion and keen talent for business administration, which helped him work through MSU and the Seminary in their business offices. He became business manager at the First Baptist Church in Arlington, and went on to work for LTV in the Pricing department.

An Exxon Car Care Center in Garland was next in line for Bud, followed by a Snap-On Tools dealership. He became co-owner of Southwest Polymers flooring company, and then bought a McKinney transmission shop. While living in North Dallas, Bud managed a Firestone Auto Store, and was Service Manager for Foretravel RV. His last (and favorite) job, before retiring was driving a bus for the Richardson Senior Center. The folks there gave Bud a sense of satisfaction and endless stories to tell.

During the 1980's, Bud and Paula became sponsors for Daniel Dao, a Vietnamese teenager. He became like a son, eventually giving them a wonderful daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

After they retired in 2006, Bud and Paula moved out to the country near Cresson, Texas. He loved it there with the deer, wild turkeys, guineas, and even bobcats, hawks, and snakes to provide some occasional drama. The sunsets on the western horizon were the perfect backdrop for the spacious modern home and unattached barn with a workshop, RV storage, and his "WI5G radio shack". As time went by , his health began to decline and they moved to Arlington in 2016.

Bud had a wide variety of interests, including all forms of motor sports. A life-long motorcycle trail rider, he raced in Enduro and Cross Country events, even winning a Texas state title in the Over 45 class at the age of 54. When it came to sports car races, there was no bigger fan, including several trips to the 24 Hours at Daytona, and staying up nights watching Formula 1 races from around the world.

He was one with nature and wildlife. He loved to fish, and was good at it. He was one of several that built cabins in the remote Ozarks of Oklahoma, and flew their private planes back and forth, landing on a grass runway.

Through it all, there was always an amateur radio gathering, civil defense exercise, or swap meet on his calendar.

Above all, Bud was a consummate people person. Genuinely interested in what others had to say or do, caring and generous, he loved to talk and to mentor.

Bud is survived by: Wife Paula, nephew Jon Griffith, brother-in-law Cliff Thompson, sister-in-law Louise Nielsen and husband David, son Daniel Dao and wife Nydia, grandchildren Andres and Sophia.

Plans for remembrance:

Bud's wish was for cremation and no indoor funeral due to Covid. In order to celebrate Bud's life, there will be an outdoor informal gathering for family and friends where we can share our memories and stories about him.

Date: Sunday, November 28, 2021

Time: 2:00 PM

Place: River Legacy Park at the Legacy Pavilion

Address: 701 NW Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, Texas 76006

In lieu of flowers, please consider these charities for donations in Bud's memory:

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Amateur Radio Association (ARRL) http://arrl.org/memorial-gifts

Down Syndrome charities

Second Chance Farm, P.O. Box 1085, Granbury, TX 76048

(They took in Bud's one legged guinea when he and Paula moved from Cresson.)

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