Robert Johnson

December 11, 1943 – July 2, 1986

MEDWAY - U.S. Army Reserve Col. Robert John Johnson, 42, of 35 Ellis St., died unexpectedly Wednesday, July 2, 1986, at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA, while on active military maneuvers with the Boston-based 1172nd Transportation Unit.

Col. Johnson's unit was at Hunter to help load military vehicles onto ships bound for California. He collapsed after returning from a physical training test, and died of an apparent heart attack, according to a Hunter spokesman.

He was the husband of Elizabeth M. (McMonigle) Johnson.

Born in Natick, Col. Johnson was the son of Molly (Hentzke) Johnson and the late Patrick Johnson. He was a 1961 graduate of Natick High School, where he was also a member of the hockey team .

He had been a resident of Medway for the past eight years.

Col. Johnson had been employed as a product manager with the Prime Computer Corp. in Natick since 1979, prior to which he was a teacher with the Framingham school system.

He was a Vietnam veteran, serving as a captain with the U.S. Army. He had been an active member of the Army Reserve since 1969.

He was a 1965 graduate of Northeastern University, and received a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Maine in 1971 and a Master of Arts degree from Framingham State College in 1975.

In addition to his wife and his mother, he is survived by four children, Mark Edward, Brian Joseph, Maribeth Anne and Michael Patrick Johnson, all of Medway; one brother, James J. Johnson of Lincroft, NJ; one sister, Molly Ann Riordon of Florence, MA.; and several nieces and nephews.

A full military funeral will be held Monday morning from the Crowley Funeral Home, 3 Barber St., followed by a Mass of the Resurrection at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Funeral home calling hours will be Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m.

Contributions in Col. Johnson's memory may be made to St. Joseph's Church, Medway, MA, 02053.