Obituary of Kenneth P. Johnson

Kenneth P. Johnson, 94, formerly of the Warner Home and Pembroke, NC passed away at 1:30 p.m. Thursday (October 1, 2009) in the Lutheran Retirement Home. He was born in Jamestown, NY on January 8, 1915 a son of the late Charles A. and Cora Petrie Johnson. Kenneth was a 1935 graduate of Jamestown High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in education from the State University of New York at Cortland and his master's degree from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. He furthered his education by earning his doctorate in Health and Physical Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. He was also a veteran of the U. S. Navy serving during World War II working in physical therapy at the naval hospital. He began his teaching career as a physical education teacher with the Dexter Central School System in Dexter, NY. He then moved on to teach at Maryville College in Maryville, TN for 10 years before moving on to Oristic College in Presque Isle, ME. He then settled in North Carolina working for 25 years at the University of North Carolina in Pembroke, retiring in 1980. During the late 1950's and early 1960's he would spend his summer months in Jamestown where he ran the tennis program for the Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department. He attended the First Lutheran Church in Jamestown and while living in North Carolina was a member of the Pinecrest Country Club in Lumberton, NC and was past president of the Pembroke Kiwanis Club. Ken was passionate about sports and his nickname too many people was "Coach". He was an avid golfer who claimed 5 hole in ones to his credit. He was always teaching someone, something. In his swimming pool in North Carolina he taught over 100 low income children from the neighboring Lumbie Indian reservation how to swim and in his later years when he lived in assisted living he could be found teaching someone the game of chess or how to play the piano. He was the one who introduced his nieces and nephews to the game of golf, swimming, tennis and skiing at an early age and will be sadly missed by them. Surviving are his brother, Duane C. Johnson of Jamestown, his niece and nephews, Siri Lawson, Scott Johnson, Jeffrey Johnson all of Jamestown, David Miller of Largo, FL, Dr. Christian Berg of Tallahassee, FL and several great nieces and great nephews. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his wife the former Doris Baumann Johnson who died January 19, 1998 and two sisters, Neoma Berg and Mildred Miller. The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday in the Lind Funeral Home. The Rev. Billy J. Banks, pastor of the First Lutheran Church will officiate. Burial will be in the Pine Hill Cemetery, Falconer. Friends will be received for one hour prior to the service on Sunday in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Hospice Chautauqua County, 20 West Fairmount Ave. Lakewood, NY 14750.