Richard Franklin Johnson

Richard Johnson Richard Franklin Johnson, 95, passed away Monday, December 14, 2015, at his home in San Luis Obispo. Richard was born in Algona, Iowa, but moved to Chicago as a small child. He graduated from high school in Park Ridge, Illinois, and attended Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa, where in 1942 he graduated with a degree in Agriculture and a major in Animal Science. After college, Richard was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and assigned to the 349th Field Artillery Battalion. He saw active combat duty in the European Theatre and was awarded a Bronze Star. Upon returning from Europe, Richard married Marjory Foncannon in December 1945. After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1946, Richard and Marjory moved to Pullman, Washington, where he received a Master's degree in Agricultural Science from Washington State College. Richard joined the faculty at Washington State and in 1950 he and Marjory moved to San Luis Obispo where he joined the Animal Husbandry Department at Cal Poly. Richard served as Department Head of the Animal Science department for 18 years, beginning in 1967. He retired as a professor and Department Head Emeritus in December of 1987. Richard was a community volunteer, active in the San Luis Obispo City/County Museum, book sale team member of the San Luis Obispo Friends of the Library, United Methodist Church of San Luis, RAMS and the American Legion. Richard is survived by his daughter, Kay Lewis (Clark); son, Ray Johnson (Linda Elliott), and grandchildren, Amy and Matthew Lewis. Marjory passed away in 2013. The family extends special appreciation to Mary Caballero for her extraordinary care of Richard during the past two and a half years. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00pm, Sunday, January 17, 2016, at the United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St. in San Luis Obispo. A family graveside service was previously held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Richard F. Johnson Scholarship Endowment Fund at Cal Poly or in his name to the United Methodist Church in San Luis Obispo. -