Obituary for Kenneth Ray Johnson
Kenneth Ray Johnson was born February 24, 1926 to Fay & Villa Johnson, the second of 8 children. He
was born & raised in Bedford, Indiana. As a child growing up during the Great Depression, he learned to
be grateful for everythihng. He & his 4 brothers & 3 sisters were thrilled to even receive only one gift on
Christmas morning. Ken was raised to love the Lord & to treat everyone with kindness & respect no
matter their station in life, nationality or color of their skin. He & his wife Barbara passed that tenet on to
their 4 children.
Being raised on a farm, he was also taught a strong work ethic. This led Ken to enlist in the Navy 2
months shy of his 18th birthday. He had hopes of later going to medical school & so chose to be a Navy
Corpsman---on the front lines giving medical aid to the Marines. He landed on Iwo Jima beach with the
4th wave of Marines the day before his 19th birthday---the day the American flag was raised. He often
said that prayer & focusing on the soldier in front of him kept the immediate fear of danger at bay. It
would be later that the nightmares would come...
Ken was stationed briefly in Oklahoma before going overseas. At a church mixer he met the girl of his
dreams. Ken & Barbara had a 2 year engagement & got married 3 days after she turned 18. They lived
in Indiana where they had all 4 of their children. Benny & Rosey were both born in Anderson, IN where
Ken was going to college & 8 years later along came Robbie & then Ted who were born in Brazil, IN.
The family moved to Bellevue, WA in 1962, the year of the World's Fair in Seattle. Ken's brother Ben &
family moved out west as well. The two brothers started their own insurance company & ran it for quite a
few years. As the children got older & started leaving the nest it was time for Ken & Barbara to downsize
& Ken chose to leave the insurance business but put his excellent sales skills to use in selling
manufactured homes for many years. Through the years, Ken would go fishing & hunting every year.
Rosey & Robbie got accustomed to a belated family celebration of their birthdays because they always
fell during elk &/or deer season! He also took the family camping a few times every year, which included
fishing & "plinking", of course!
When Ken was 78, he & Barbara were living in Arlington, WA. It was time to move closer to family &
finally retire. Their final home was in Westport, WA, a few blocks from Robbie & her husband, Gilbert.
They both loved the quiet, small town feel & espeecially loved watching the birds & Ken playing his organ
which in her final years became a comfort to Barbara.
Their son Benny moved in with them to help Robbie & Gilbert care for them. He stayed with Ken after
Barbara passed away in 2015.Then when Benny passed away in 2017 Ken chose to go live at Pacific
Care Center in Hoquiam. He knew most of the staff & knew the wonderful care he would get since due to
Alzheimer's, that was where Barbara spent her last few years. Ken was one of the whole stafff's favorite
residents---he always had a smile & a kind word. Robbie & Gilbert were able to put Ken's organ in his
room---he played it every day---to the end. Staff & other residents would gather outside the door to listen.
Outside his window were many, many bird feeders (thanks to Gilbert). When Gilbert added bird feeders
throughout the complex, the former "TV Room" became the "Bird Room". And his organ is now a
permanent fixture at Pacific Care...
Ken is preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Barbara, his oldest son, Benny, his oldest daughter,
Rosey Marsille, his parents, his brothers, Ben & Russell & his big sister May Newkirk. He leaves behind
his younger daughter & spouse, Robbie aka Roberta (Gilbert) Myers, his youngest son, Ted Johnson &
his son-in-law, Gil Marsille. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren & their spouses: Ken Marsille, Chris
(Dawn) Marsille, Elisabeth (Scott) Britton, Andrew Gerber, William (Cheyenne) McGaffey, Nick (Monica)
McGaffey & Samantha (Nick) Anderson. Ken was also blessed with 9 great grandchildren: Noah, Connor
& Isaac McGaffey; Osian, Audrey & Sylvia McGaffey; Dominic & Michael Marsille & Easton Marsille.
was born & raised in Bedford, Indiana. As a child growing up during the Great Depression, he learned to
be grateful for everythihng. He & his 4 brothers & 3 sisters were thrilled to even receive only one gift on
Christmas morning. Ken was raised to love the Lord & to treat everyone with kindness & respect no
matter their station in life, nationality or color of their skin. He & his wife Barbara passed that tenet on to
their 4 children.
Being raised on a farm, he was also taught a strong work ethic. This led Ken to enlist in the Navy 2
months shy of his 18th birthday. He had hopes of later going to medical school & so chose to be a Navy
Corpsman---on the front lines giving medical aid to the Marines. He landed on Iwo Jima beach with the
4th wave of Marines the day before his 19th birthday---the day the American flag was raised. He often
said that prayer & focusing on the soldier in front of him kept the immediate fear of danger at bay. It
would be later that the nightmares would come...
Ken was stationed briefly in Oklahoma before going overseas. At a church mixer he met the girl of his
dreams. Ken & Barbara had a 2 year engagement & got married 3 days after she turned 18. They lived
in Indiana where they had all 4 of their children. Benny & Rosey were both born in Anderson, IN where
Ken was going to college & 8 years later along came Robbie & then Ted who were born in Brazil, IN.
The family moved to Bellevue, WA in 1962, the year of the World's Fair in Seattle. Ken's brother Ben &
family moved out west as well. The two brothers started their own insurance company & ran it for quite a
few years. As the children got older & started leaving the nest it was time for Ken & Barbara to downsize
& Ken chose to leave the insurance business but put his excellent sales skills to use in selling
manufactured homes for many years. Through the years, Ken would go fishing & hunting every year.
Rosey & Robbie got accustomed to a belated family celebration of their birthdays because they always
fell during elk &/or deer season! He also took the family camping a few times every year, which included
fishing & "plinking", of course!
When Ken was 78, he & Barbara were living in Arlington, WA. It was time to move closer to family &
finally retire. Their final home was in Westport, WA, a few blocks from Robbie & her husband, Gilbert.
They both loved the quiet, small town feel & espeecially loved watching the birds & Ken playing his organ
which in her final years became a comfort to Barbara.
Their son Benny moved in with them to help Robbie & Gilbert care for them. He stayed with Ken after
Barbara passed away in 2015.Then when Benny passed away in 2017 Ken chose to go live at Pacific
Care Center in Hoquiam. He knew most of the staff & knew the wonderful care he would get since due to
Alzheimer's, that was where Barbara spent her last few years. Ken was one of the whole stafff's favorite
residents---he always had a smile & a kind word. Robbie & Gilbert were able to put Ken's organ in his
room---he played it every day---to the end. Staff & other residents would gather outside the door to listen.
Outside his window were many, many bird feeders (thanks to Gilbert). When Gilbert added bird feeders
throughout the complex, the former "TV Room" became the "Bird Room". And his organ is now a
permanent fixture at Pacific Care...
Ken is preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Barbara, his oldest son, Benny, his oldest daughter,
Rosey Marsille, his parents, his brothers, Ben & Russell & his big sister May Newkirk. He leaves behind
his younger daughter & spouse, Robbie aka Roberta (Gilbert) Myers, his youngest son, Ted Johnson &
his son-in-law, Gil Marsille. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren & their spouses: Ken Marsille, Chris
(Dawn) Marsille, Elisabeth (Scott) Britton, Andrew Gerber, William (Cheyenne) McGaffey, Nick (Monica)
McGaffey & Samantha (Nick) Anderson. Ken was also blessed with 9 great grandchildren: Noah, Connor
& Isaac McGaffey; Osian, Audrey & Sylvia McGaffey; Dominic & Michael Marsille & Easton Marsille.