Philip Paul Johnson, Jr., 76, of Ocala was welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven on Sunday, July 21, 2019 after a short battle with illness. His devotion to his family and his firm belief in God supported him in his struggle and ultimately gave him peace. Philip was born in the Bronx, New York to Emma and Phil Johnson, Sr. He attended University of Detroit High School and graduated from University of Detroit with a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering. He married Janice Kary in 1966 in Roseville, MI and together they traveled the world while he served in the United States ArmyCorps of Engineers.
LTC Johnson was a proud Army Ranger, and earned a Bronze StarMedal for Meritorious Achievement as part of the 20th Engineering Brigade in Vietnam. He believed in the value of education and earned a Master’s in Civil Engineering and a Master’s of Business Administration. After serving 22 years with the U.S. Army, he started a second career as a professional engineer, working for Waste Management and NTH Consulting in the Detroit metropolitan area. He retired to Ocala in 2005, and spent his time golfing and going on cruises with his wife. He was a prior Grand Knight for the Knights of Columbus, Council 9649 and an active member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church.
Survivors include his loving wife, Janice, of Ocala; son, Thomas (Janice) Johnson of Royersford, PA; daughter, Susan (Grant) Emery of Kaleva, MI; three brothers, Edward Johnson, Jerome Johnson and Robert Johnson; three sisters, Mary Olesniewicz, Therese Presley and Carole Tobin; and six grandchildren, Eric Johnson, Paul Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Mark Johnson, Rachel Emery and Katie Emery.
A funeral service will be held at 8:30am on Monday, July 29, 2019 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 6455 SW SR 200, Ocala, FL, 34481. A visitation will be held from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Sunday, July 28, 2019 at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, TimberRidge, 9695 SW 110th Street, Ocala, FL 34481. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Travis Mills Foundation, to support military veterans at https://travismillsfoundation.org.