A. Warren Johnson

Born January 14, 1932 in Pekin to Avon Warren and Elsie Jane (Deakin) Johnson, he married Esther Mary Hund on August 22, 1953 in Marine City, Michigan.  She survives.

Also surviving are two sons, David W. (Tonia "Toni") Johnson of Morton and Mark C. Johnson of Pekin; two daughters, Sarah E. "Sally" (Jeffery) Knobleloch of Corpus Christi, Texas and Paula E. (Chester Lee) Paul of Bushnell; eleven grandchildren, Kristina J. (Rev. David) Carrington of Pekin, Erik W. (Breanna) Johnson of Goodfield, Jessica M. (Jared) Parsons of Pekin, Nathan E. Armbruster of Champaign, Elizabeth M. (Charles) Moench of Corpus Christi, Texas, Amanda Eileen Fairchild of Fairfield, Iowa, Lisa Ann Fairchild, Michael Lee Paul, both of Bushnell, Sean A. Johnson of Pekin, Joshua Rotramel of La Fayette, Indiana and Adriana Johnson of Pekin; ten great-grandchildren and one sister, Betty L. (Glenn) Bonk of Pekin.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A 1949 graduate of Pekin Community High School, Warren graduated in 1953 from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology.

He was an Army veteran of the Korean War, serving from 1954 to 1956 as a personnel specialist.

Warren retired from the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway in December 1993 after 40 ½ years of service, last working as a chief clerk in the switching department.  He previously worked as a chief crew dispatcher, assistant train master and train master.

He was a longtime Cub Scout and Weblo leader for many years at the former Lincoln School.  He was a Past Scout Master for the Tri-County handicapped troupe located at the Schramm Educational Center in Pekin.  Warren was a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, the District Award of Merit and the God & Country Award. 

He was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church in Pekin, where he was a member and past president of the United Methodist Men and a former chairman of the Board of Trustees.  He also had served the church as a member of the Church Council, as a former Sunday school teacher and as co-chair of the evangelism committee.  Presently he was serving as the head of the church’s kitchen committee and was a member of the Tri-M Adult Sunday School Class. In February 2008, Warren received the “Person in Mission” award from the Grace United Methodist Women, the first man to be given this honor in the history of Grace Church.

Warren was a Pekin Hospital volunteer escort since 1994 and a member of the Silent Saviors.  He also was a member of Duck’s Unlimited, Wilmor Sportsman’s Club, Pheasants Forever and the National Rifle Association.  He was proud to have been a volunteer Hunter Safety instructor for the State of Illinois.  Warren also was a former first aid instructor for the American Red Cross and election judge for Groveland Township Precinct 15. He was a former member of the Marquette Heights Presbyterian Church, where he served on the Building Committee and as a Clerk of the Session.  He also was a former volunteer fireman for the Marquette Heights Fire Department.

His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 18, 2008 at Grace United Methodist Church in Pekin.  The Rev. Gary L. Ford and Rev. David Carrington will officiate.  Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, October 17, 2008 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Home, Pekin Chapel, and also from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. Saturday at the church.  Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin, with military rites accorded by the United States Army and the Tazewell Area Ceremonial Team.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Grace United Methodist Church, 503 North 4th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.