West Windsor, Vt. —
He was born Aug. 27, 1927, in Windsor, the son of Ralph G. and Ruth (Bartlett) Johnson. He attended school in Windsor. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving with the Military Police. Following his honorable discharge he returned to Windsor. He married Edith Pinson on Nov. 5, 1949, at the family farm in West Windsor where they have resided for the past 67 years. Mr. Johnson was employed at the former Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Windsor for over forty years. He enjoyed farming and sugaring and operated the family farm in West Windsor for many years.
Ralph proudly served the West Windsor Community in several capacities: as Constable for 45 years, as Assistant Fire Chief of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Department for 11 years and as Chief for seven years and also as a longtime tax collector. He was also an active member of the West Windsor Fast Squad.
Mr. Johnson was a member of the Windsor American Legion Post #25, a member and trustee of the Brownsville Community Methodist Church as well as a Boy Scout Leader.
He was fond of watching old western movies, was an avid woodworker and enjoyed going out to eat. He and his wife also enjoyed their many trips to Pennsylvania.
Ralph will be remembered as a hard worker, a very proud man who always put family before himself and as a person who truly loved the community of West Windsor.
He was predeceased by his parents, two brothers, Alan Johnson and Kenneth Johnson, an infant sister and one son-in-law, Everett Archibald.
Survivors include his loving wife of 67 years, Edith Johnson of West Windsor; two sons, Frank Taggart and his wife, Rose of Pahrump, Nev., and Gordon Johnson and his wife, Krista of West Windsor; two daughters, Gloria Farnsworth and her husband, Robert of Brownsville and Cathy Archibald of West Windsor; one brother, Clifford Johnson of Wilder, Vt.; 10 grandchildren, David, Tim, Brian and Jeffrey Taggart, Jonathan Johnson, Lisa Mattoon, Shirley Johnson, Tami Weeks, Deb Davis and Jody Wood; several great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held Friday evening, Nov. 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Story Memorial Hall in West Windsor. The funeral service will be held Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Brownsville Community Methodist Church. Rev. Christian Huebner, Pastor, will officiate. Committal services with military honors will follow in the Brownsville Cemetery. A reception for family and friends will follow in the church hall.
Memorial contributions may be made to the West Windsor Fast Squad, c/o Nancy Gaynor, at 1401 Sheddsville Road, Windsor, VT 05089 or to the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Department at PO Box 85, Brownsville, VT 05037.
The Knight Funeral Home in Windsor is entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences may be made to Mr. Johnson’s family in an online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com.