February 24, 2016

Thomas William Johnson, age 72, of La Cygne, Kan., died Feb. 16, 2016, at his home.

Thomas was born Jan. 9, 1944, in Paola, Kan. He is the younger of two children born to Kenneth Edward and Earlena (Cox) Johnson. His family moved to California after he was born and Thomas went to grade school in California before the family returned to the La Cygne area where he lived with his grandparents Jess and Sadie Cox.

Thomas graduated from La Cygne Rural High School in 1962.

The following year, Thomas married Joyce Elaine Arnold on July 7, 1963, in La Cygne, Kan. Together they had four children: Bryan Lee, Theresa Lynn, Daren Edward and Brent Arnold. Thomas and Joyce have lived in the La Cygne area ever since.

After high school, Thomas worked for Pitman Manufacturing in Grandview, Mo., which later became RO Products in Olathe, Kan. In 1972, Thomas started working for KCP&L as a scrubber operator in the AQC at the La Cygne generating station, where he could be close to home. In 2004, he retired after nearly 33 years with the company.

As a boy growing up, Thomas enjoyed fishing and hunting. He continued to enjoy these hobbies his entire life, fishing often with his wife Joyce and hunting with his children and grandchildren. He especially looked forward to deer season every year. Thomas enjoyed other shooting pastimes as well, competing in local trap-shooting competitions, and cowboy action shooting in the Linn County area. He was a member of the original La Cygne Christian Church as well as the Masonic Lodge #61 of La Cygne. Thomas was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Thomas is preceded in death by his parents; his son Bryan; his great-grandson Hayden White; and his sister Geraldine.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 53 years, Joyce; two sons Daren Johnson, Brent Johnson and wife, Niejsa, of La Cygne; daughter Theresa Munson and husband, Martin, of rural Cadmus, Kan.; his four grandchildren: Cole Munson, Randi White and husband, Erik, Courtney Fleming and Zackary Fleming; his four great-grandchildren: Taylor, Kayleigh, Jocelynn and Grayson.

Private family services. Burial in the Oaklawn Cemetery, La Cygne. Memorials are to the Hayden White Memorial Scholarship Fund and may be sent in c/o Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 430, Osawatomie, KS 66064.