Thomas Lee Johnson was born June 30th 1934, in Galesburg, Illinois to Thomas Bell and Dorothy Casler Johnson. He had two siblings, an older brother William (Bill) and younger sister, Elizabeth (Betty). As a youth he lived and attended school in Georgia and Indiana before moving to Moline, Illinois in 1945 where finished his primary education, graduating from Moline High School in the class of 1952. Active in sports, he won athletic honors in multiple sports to include track, cross country, and tennis and was part of the 1951 MHS Basketball team that finished 2nd in the state of Illinois tournament. After graduation from MHS, he attended Western Illinois University and later graduated from Augustana College with a degree in Business Administration. Shortly after graduating from Augie, he went to work for Deere & Co. with assignments at Deere locations in, Moline, East Moline, Dubuque (IA), Ottumwa (IA) and finally at Deere Headquarters in Moline, Illinois reaching the level of Management Training Director. Upon retirement from John Deere in 1987 and he and his wife, Carol, split time between the Quad Cities and Palm Beach County, Florida where they enjoyed their golden years together until her untimely passing in 2017. Both enjoyed traveling, golf, and tennis well into their mid-eighties. Tom spent much of the remainder of his life in Palm Beach County, only moving to Arkansas recently to be closer to family. He was preceded in death by both his parents, his two siblings as well as his life-partner and wife of 68 years.

Tom leaves behind an amazing and large extended family; three children: Steven and Karen (Reczek) in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, Jayne & Vic Grissom in Quitman, Arkansas, Lisa “Eljay” Johnson and Marisa (Martin) in Anacortes, Washington. Additionally, the extended family includes 36 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren who will miss their Big Pa tremendously. Tom and Carol were always very proud of their family. Arrangements are pending but memorial donations can be made to the First Congregational Church in Molne, Illinois(2201 7th Avenue 61265).