LeRoy Johnson

September 7, 1934 - September 1, 2019

LeRoy was born in Lyons, Nebraska on 9/7/1934 to Roy and Laura Johnson. He passed on 9/1/2019, after a long illness, at home surrounded by his loving family. All of his life he was a Nebraska farm boy at heart. After graduating high school in West Point Nebraska, in 1952 he served in the US Army as a map maker in Frankfurt Germany. In 1956 he met the love of his life, Joann Reichlinger, and the two married in West Point. Their wedding vows of “for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” defined their lives together. The couple welcomed a son, Jim in 1959, and a daughter, Lisa in 1964. The GI bill and his devoted wife helped him earn his BS/MS in Mathematics from the University of South Dakota. While there, he was invited to join the academic society Phi Beta Kappa. In 1966, he moved his family to Pullman, WA, earning his PhD in Physics from WSU in 1971 (Go Cougs). He devoted his life to teaching. He started while in the army, teaching other soldiers how to make maps. This was near the end of the Korean War, and his students were very motivated to stay in Germany. He also taught at the University of South Dakota, Big Bend Community College, the University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia, and Central Wyoming College. He retired from Big Bend in Moses Lake, WA, in 1990. LeRoy’s passion for the out of doors was an everyday occurrence. Most of the Moses Lake fishing community would recognize his dog and boat out on the lake. Bird hunting was his other passion. His nephew, Dick Weiler was quite concerned that his kids would grow up with fins and feathers, based on an excessive consumption of ducks and walleye. He is survived by his wife JoAnn of 62 years, his son Jim Johnson (Tammy) of Snohomish,WA and daughter Lisa Sydenstricker (Eric) of Wenatchee, WA. He was the proud Papa of 6 grandchildren, Royce, Laura, Emma, Leroy, Tyler and Travis. His parents and his sisters Marie, Darlene, Margie. Dorothy, and Donnie preceded him in death. Older sister Bev lives in Colorado. In lieu of flowers the family has created a “GoFundMe” to be used for Community Services in Moses Lake. On the GoFundMe web site search for LeRoy Johnson Memorial Fund. A military memorial service will be held at Guardian Angels cemetery in Moses Lake on 10/19/2019 at 1:00 pm. Here’s to a great life well lived.