Thomas Johnson

Thomas Elmer Johnson, 77, of West Lafayette, IN passed away at the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis on the afternoon of Friday, June 4, 2021. He was born in Lafayette, IN on March 6, 1944, the son of the late John Irwin and Ann Josephine (Freeman) Johnson. Tom attended Lafayette Central Catholic High School and later Purdue University, graduating with a BS in Forestry. Tom was a devout member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in West Lafayette. In addition to his time at St. Tom’s, he was also a proud life-long volunteer of many local affiliations. He was a member of the Friends of the West Lafayette Public Library, the NICHES Land Trust, the Ouiatenon Blacksmiths, and volunteered his time for the Tippecanoe County Historical Association, especially at the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon. He also served as a volunteer canoe instructor with the Red Cross, and spent many, many hours as a volunteer interpreter & blacksmith demonstrator at the Wabash and Erie Canal Park; Tom was a member of the Facilities Committee at St. Thomas Aquinas and also a volunteer at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. Tom was known as a tinkerer, and loved by many due to his tenacity when it came to solving mechanical issues. (Even if it didn’t always meet code, afterward.) Tom served his country in the Field Artillery Branch of the U. S. Army, and later served in the Army reserves, always speaking fondly of his time associated with the Forestry Service. After his time in the Army - Tom was a proud father of three, spending many years as a landlord, allowing him time to raise his children with his then-wife, Mary Moyars-Johnson. Surviving are two sons, Thomas Edward Johnson (Brooke) of Otterbein, IN; John Alan Johnson (Sarita Li) of Wheatridge, CO; a daughter, Barbara Suzanne Johnson of Lakewood, CO; a stepson, William Raymond Johnson (Patti) of Markle, IN; a sister Patricia Johnson of Costa Mesa, CA; four grandchildren, Patrick, Kieren, Keani Kai, & Sequoia; and the extended community of beloved friends he shared his wealth of knowledge with. He was preceded in death by his two elder brothers, Michael & Jack. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church on Thursday June 10 at 2:00 PM, Fr. Brent Bowen officiating, with the family welcoming friends at 1:00 PM. The interment will follow immediately after, at St. Boniface Cemetery with the American Legion Post 11 performing military rites. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either St. Thomas Aquinas Church or the NICHES Land Trust. Hahn-Groeber Funeral Home of Lafayette is honored to serve the Johnson family. Please leave memories and condolences at www.hahngroeberfuneralhome.com