Obituary of George M. Johnson Sr.

"The world knows little of its great men." Bud passed away on February 7, 2019 at home surrounded by his loving and devoted family that he created. The first son of the late Earnest and Susan Johnson, he was born July 7, 1932 in Middletown, NY. Bud graduated from Middletown Schools in 1952 and was drafted and served in Korea in the US Army from 1952-1954. He married Julia A. Haskin on October 1, 1955, and later began his career with the United States Postal Service in 1956. Upon retirement in 1990 after 34 years of service, he began his second career of being a mail room clerk at Middletown Savings Bank and Walden Savings Bank. Upon retiring after ten-plus years of service, he began his third and favorite career of driving a mail distribution truck from Newburgh to many local post offices. He drove that truck for 14 years until he parked it in 2014. Bud helped form the Bloomingburg Fire District and was past chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners for four years. He was also 2nd Assistant Chief of the Bloomingburg Fire Dept. and contributed 20 years of service. He was also a longstanding member of the American Legion Post 151, the VFW Post 4947, the Elks Lodge 1097 and was a treasurer of Boy Scout Troop 251. Bud was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who treasured his family and grandchildren. He is survived by his children: George M. Johnson Jr. & his wife Sandra, James E. Johnson & his wife Debra, and JoAnn Roe & her husband Joseph B. Roe III; his grandchildren: Gary B. Mann Jr. & his wife Danielle, Jessica L. Johnson-Jones, Joseph J. Bruning & his wife Melanie, George R. Johnson & his companion Kristen Clyatt, Diana M. Johnson & her companion Devon Brouillard, Danielle Johnson, Kristy L. Bruning, and Joseph B. Roe IV. In addition, he is survived by five great grandchildren: Isabelle, Owen and Ethan Mann, Manuel Velasquez and Jaden Jones; his brother: Russell Jonson; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, wife Julia, grandson Eric P. Hosking, and two brothers Benjamin and Frank Johnson. Family & friends are invited to gather on Sunday, February 10 from 2-4 and 6-8pm at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 111 Sullivan Street in Wurtsboro. Funeral services by various organizations will be held on Sunday evening at 8pm with Pastor Anthony Ciaccio officiating. Private burial with military honors will be held on Monday at the Bloomingburg Rural Cemetery. Our family would like to express our deepest thanks for the wonderful help and care given by Linda Conklin, Hospice nurses Heather and Heather, as well as Melanie our social worker. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Bloomingburg Fire Dept. P.O. Box 1039, Bloomingburg, NY 12721 or to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Ct., Newburgh, NY 12550 www.hospiceoforange.com Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Wurtsboro. For additional information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com .