Arnold W. Johnson

Arnold W. Johnson, 95, of Topeka, passed away on August 25, 2011. He was born in Axtell, KS on June 5, 1916, the son of William and Hilda Elizabeth (Hedstrom) Johnson. He attended grade and high school in Axtell and attended Park College in Parkville, MO transferring to the University of Kansas to complete his degree in Business Administration. While at KU he was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity. At KU he met Bertha M. Scott (Scottie) whom he married on October 9, 1940. Last year they celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary.
In 1940, he and his wife organized Arnold W. Johnson Insurance Agency. In 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was stationed at the Naval Air Station at Olathe before being transferred to Guam in the South Pacific. Before being transferred overseas one of his assignments was guard duty on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. While overseas Scottie ran the insurance agency. Upon returning to the States he purchased the C.R. Scott Mortgage from his father-in-law, Claude R. Scott. He made a variety of farm, residential and commercial loans.
Arnold was a member of First Congregational Church where he was a deacon, trustee and treasurer. He was a charter member of the Topeka Cosmopolitan Club International. He was a member of the Topeka Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Topeka. He served on the Mayor's Committee to transfer Forbes Air Field to the City of Topeka and the Mayor's Committee for the building of the Santa Fe Building in downtown Topeka. He also served four years on the Mayor's Central Business District Redevelopment Advisory Board. He served as Secretary of the Topeka Home Builder's Association, a member of the Topeka Board of Realtors, the YMCA, the Professional Insurance Association, Shawnee Country Club, and was a past director of Topeka Knife & Fork Club.
For many years he served on the Board of Directors of Preferred Fire Insurance Co., the Capitol Abstract Land and Title Co., the Kansas Mutual Insurance Co.(past treasurer), and the Fidelity State Bank and Trust Co. He was a 60 year member of Siloam Lodge #225, A.F. and A.M., York Rite Bodies, the Arab Shrine , Greeters Unit of the Shrine (past president), Order of Jesters, and Legion of Honor. He was a life member of Philip Billard Post #1650 Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Moose Lodge #555, and the Elks Lodge #204.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Verneal Brown of Topeka, and one brother Wendell Johnson of Fresno, CA.
He is survived by his wife, Scottie; his daughter Jill Gilliland (Raney); one grandson, Asher Johnson Gilliland; two sisters-in-law, Adelaide Johnson, Fresno, CA and Claudine Lingelbach, Lawrence, KS.
He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and businessman.
A visitation will be held at the Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel on Sunday, August 28, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Private family services will be held on Monday, August 29 with burial occurring immediately following at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Topeka. Memorial contributions may be made to First Congregational Church, 1700 S.W Collins Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604 or to Shriners Hospitals for Children and sent in care of the funeral home.