David Douglas Johnson

David Douglas Johnson, 73, of Kansas City, MO, passed away December 12th at his home.
David was born on September 13, 1948 in Tulsa, OK to Sidney Harold and Mary Lee Johnson. David had a lot of good memories of his childhood there playing football and spending time at Grand Lake of the Cherokees, where boating and fishing were his hobbies as a youngster. But while Tulsa may have been where he was raised, Kansas City is where he made his home.
After serving as an MP in the US Army in the 60s, he found his way to Kansas City in 1971. Here he met Ernie "Sandy" Rush while working at St. Lukes in the Paint Department. And the rest, as they say, is history. David had one son, McClain Douglas Johnson (34), then married Jeanne "Pinkie" Rush Johnson on October 9th, 1993. They were together for the last 28 years.
Professionally, David was a skilled carpenter and worked in the Carpenters Union for years until he retired. Most knew David as an honorary member of the Rush family. A constant figurehead, a stalwart person if you will. David had an amazing sense of humor and was an expert at saying just the right joke to bring a smile to your face. He was an extraordinary gentleman, loving husband, father, and friend. In addition, he was a skilled carpenter and handyman extraordinaire. And of all the adjectives that could used to depict David, kindness is what best describes what his character and persona.
His sense of humor remained intact even with the devastating news of his recent ALS diagnosis; David had a way of making any situation seem less dire. His words were always kind and reassuring, even in the face of uncertain health. Thank you, David for being an exemplary figurehead and part of the bedrock of our family all these years. Thank you for being a perfect example of kindness. With so many uncertainties in this world where many things remain out of our control, you showed us how to deal with adversity and how to do it with integrity and grace. Your love, honesty, generosity and most of all kindness, will be dearly missed.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, December 18th at O'Neill's Restaurant and Bar, 9417 Mission Rd., Leawood, KS 66206 from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. There will be a private inurnment at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Childrens Mercy, Wayside Waifs or the charity of your choice.



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