George Johnson

George Allan Johnson was born on July 3, 1946, in Washington, Iowa, to Walter and Elizabeth (Taylor) Johnson. He had two sons and one daughter with Beverly Dee Whitver, Gregory, Brynn, and Gordon. He was also married to Linda Crowell. He married Susan Marie Barnard Feauto on November 20, 2021, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He had two sisters Sandra and Linda. He attended the Washington, Iowa school system and graduated high school in 1964. While attending State College of Iowa, now University of Northern Iowa, majoring in Chemistry, he was drafted into the US Army in March 1969. He was stationed at Fort Polk, now known as Fort Johnson in Leesville, Louisiana. He trained as an 11B in the combat infantry. After George's training he was set to go to Viet Nam. Meanwhile the chief pathologist of the Fort Polk US Army Hospital, Colonel Charles Hassell, went through the files of former patients in the base hospital looking for soldiers with science backgrounds to fill positions in the Hospital Lab. These were the only soldier records the Colonel had access to. George had been hospitalized previously and since he was a chemistry major at college, he came to the attention of Colonel Hassell in his search to fill positions in the Hospital Lab. George had orders to go to Viet Nam, was sent home for two weeks to visit family in Iowa before shipping out. When he arrived back at Fort Polk he was told by his commanding officer, Captain Scotty, that his orders had changed, and he was to be assigned to the Hospital Company working in the Lab. He started working right away and his wife Beverly was happy to be able to move to base from Iowa to be with him. George received training on base and in San Antonio's Brooke Army Medical Center for the position of 92 B Lab Tech. During this time his son Gregory was born in the base hospital where George worked. George fished, read books, enjoyed being a father and husband. He made many good friends and separated from the Army in January 1971. He returned to College in Cedar Falls, renamed the University of Northern Iowa. He graduated in August of 1971 with a degree in Science with an emphasis in Biology and Chemistry. He worked a job while waiting to enter Med Tech School. In August of 1972 he started attending Allen College of Medical Technology using the 'GI Bill' to pay for his school. He started working at Allen Hospital in the Fall of 1972 using his experience from the Army doing work as a Med Tech. He graduated in August of 1973 as MT(ASCP) from Allen College. During this time he and Beverly had two more children, Brynn and Gordon. He and Beverly divorced in 1980. He married Linda Crowell in 1983. They raised Linda's two boys Grant and Danny, and George's three kids in a cute little stone cottage near downtown Cedar Falls, Iowa. George retained the cottage when they divorced in 2008. George met Sue in 2018. Their first date was George's 2018 Christmas Concert with the University of Northern Iowa Men's Varsity Glee Club. George is an Alumni and a Kingpin with the group, first joining the group in the 60's while getting his degree. He traveled overseas to Iceland and Norway with the group on their 2014 European Tour. He loved singing and the friendships he made singing with the group. He retired from Allen Hospital in June of 2020 after 48 years, finishing up as the Lab IT Director for Allen Hospital and working with the Unity Point Central Group Lab IT traveling in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Since 2000 he was involved and was President for 6 years in the national SunQuest users’ group. SunQuest is the software company for Hospital Labs all over the world. He also led classes and helped develop and fine tune the software for SunQuest. A group of college friends that get together every year will miss George’s friendship and input. Since retiring he has enjoyed life with his wife Sue and a lovely Maine Coon Cat named Pyewacket in Cedar Falls. George is survived by his loving wife Susan, children Gregory, Brynn (Philip) Rhodes, and Gordon. Grandchildren Jasmine (Dan) Peters, Maya (Josh) Berggren, Alexander Rhodes, David Rhodes, and Charlotte Pearl Townsend. Great Grandchildren Abigail and Oliver Berggren. Sister Linda (Hans) Gyllstrom: nieces and nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, unborn son John, his sister Sandra and her husband Steve Brock. A Celebration of Life will be 1:00-3:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Richardson Funeral Service in Cedar Falls. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the University of Northern Iowa Men's Varsity Glee Club.

George Johnson

July 3, 1946 - September 16, 2023