Wesley Neil Johnson

A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, November 22nd at 11:00 AM until time of service at 12:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church of Waukegan, 122 N Martin Luther King Jr Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085. Interment will be held privately at Highland Memorial Park.

Known better as Neil, he was born in Tippah County, Mississippi on January 10, 1929, to Columbus Martin Johnson and Minerva Frances (nee Dees). The youngest of 12 children, Neil graduated from Buena Vista High School in 1947.

On April 5th of 1947, Neil married Mary Eunice Fryar. Together they moved to Waukegan, Illinois. During this time, Neil took many night classes at the Lake Forest School of Management, graduating in 1971. He also worked at Abbott Labs in North Chicago, starting with a job on the loading docks and ending his career 44 years later as the Department Manager of Packaging Development and Standards. Neil obtained two patents during his time as an Engineer with Abbott Labs.

Neil was a third degree Mason with Lodge 1027, President of the Abbott Toastmaster’s Club in 1965, President of the Drug and Pharmaceutical Packaging Committee, Packing Institute USA in 1972. During his time with the First Presbyterian Church of Waukegan, he previously served on the Board of Deacons, Board of Trustees, Board of Elders, and served as Clerk of Session.

Neil moved to Lake Forest Place after his retirement, where he lived with his wife Mary Eunice until her passing in December of 2000. Neil married his second wife, Sandra Lechner Johnson, on February 2, 2002. He and Sandra enjoyed traveling through the United States and Europe, spending winters in Scottsdale, Arizona. The both especially enjoyed the holidays, which would always bring their blended family together.

Neil is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sandra; his children Judy (Alton) Sanstad of Geneva and Gregory (Anna) Johnson of Keller, Tx; step-children Susanne Grayson (Peter) Gill of Libertyville and John (Andrea) Lechner of Gurnee; grandchildren Kristine (Allen) Dreyer, Erik (Sherri) Sanstad, Kathryn (Ervey) Guardado, Jenna Grayson, James Grayson, Braden (Kaitlyn) Lechner and Jacob Lechner; five great-grandchildren; and many dear nieces, nephews and other family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his 11 siblings, his first wife Mary Eunice, and his grandson Christopher Johnson.