Richard A. Johnson, 64, of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at Sanford USD Medical Center.  Richard A Johnson was born in Pipestone, MN to Carl and Lorena (Jordt) Johnson 64 years ago and was about to celebrate his 65 ^th birthday on Easter Sunday visiting favorite cousins in San Diego (Tom and Perla Simpson). Instead he suffered an unexpected and sudden heart attack April 9 which took him to his heavenly home much sooner than family and friends left behind expected. Richard grew up on the farm in Ward, SD going to country school and loved his life helping at home and being the "baby" of a family of 11 kids. He had close friends he could ride bikes with and have the normal adventures of a farm boy. Richard went to town school about grade 8 (Flandreau High School) and due to a learning disability worked hard at schoolwork. He did not expect nor desire to become anyone great or Wise, he just wanted to do what was expected of him and tried his very best. He liked everyone he met mostly. He always had a smile on his face. He went to High School with the Class of 1973 and received his High School Diploma in the Spring of 2001 on his 43 ^rd birthday after all his classes in mechanics and in ministry and the transcripts were submitted. Richard proudly wore that graduation gown borrowed from one of his sisters in a Flandreau colors family dinner at Ming Wah in Sioux Falls. Richard married Linda J Simpson on Nov. 26, 1977. at UMC in Sioux Falls and the next Spring adopted Frank, her 8 year old son. In January of 1979, Richard and Linda were living and working in Sioux Falls and they welcomed Christopher into the family. Rich worked as a mechanic at Dakota Mack Truck, Greg's trucking,& Graham Goodyear while they lived in Sioux Falls. Richard was active with Linda and the boys at Faith Temple Church teaching 2 ^nd grade and being in the annual "Living Last Supper" with his son, Frank at Eastertime. Richard and Linda, along, with Chris entered Asia and Pacific Christian University the Fall of 1988 to train as missionaries with YWAM and specifically the country of the Philippines when they graduated as Associate Missionaries in 1990. Richard again served as base mechanic and did support work in prison outreach, and training of the other male staff members while they were on internship. They served in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and the Philippines, with the Philippines being a permanent ministry base for them. In 1994 Richard and Linda were assigned a church in Shawnee Kansas, Joy Fellowship, Church of God and were credentialed and ordained in 1994 at Wichita. Rich worked at Midas Muffler, going back to ASE mechanics school and earned his certifications in his specialty area of brakes and alignment. He loved his crew and the work at Midas, as well as the church they served and all the ministerial activities of Kansas City area. In 1998, Rich and Linda left for 2 years to the Philippines and conducted 6 Mission Bridge School for adults Filipino leaders from N. Philippines to the South. Anywhere Linda went, Rich followed and they were a team. He loved to be the support to all the outreaches and disciple the men in all areas of life and living. Richard had no problem with the conditions in the rural areas and he helped Linda adjust. When they came back to the USA, they resumed their ministry and Rich went back to Midas. In 2004, they were assigned to a Filipino church "Garden Isle" Church of God on the Island of Kauai and shortly after they arrived there, the Kauai National Guard was called up to Iraq and the DOD came calling for Rich as the Army needed mechanics as force multipliers for the troops. Rich left in August 2005 to Houston where he did his first basic training and was fast tracked into Iraq. Rich went on to serve with Coalition forces from 2005 to 2011 being one of the last to bring out equipment and ground soldiers in October of 2011. Rich excelled in the military life and because he was trained in the ministry, he helped out the Chaplain and the men came to him for counsel in the war zone. He was able to serve two different time periods for 6 months of his 5 year tour with Chris. Richard achieved many awards from the Army and Iraqi and other national forces. They all wanted him. He was a QAQC quality specialist to the Army on vehicles to make sure the vehicles were road worthy for the soldiers to go back on the field. He had already moved Linda back to their home state of South Dakota at the time, building their modest home on Lalley Lane in Aspen Heights, Sioux Falls. He was demobilized in October 2011, and with the help of the Vet Center of Sioux Falls, he received re-entry counselling and the State of SD sent him to Mitchell Tech for CDL retraining. He found a civilian job at Ryder Trucking only 1.7 miles from their home. Richard loved his home and his job and the simple life they now had. Both were able to visit their Filipino students overseas twice in the past 5 years and it was a great reunion. No one had an unkind word to say about Richard. He was kind and considerate to all he met and he was certainly accomplished beyond what he ever would've expected his life to be. He was happy to grow old with Linda. He will be missed by many who are here and around the globe for his goodness. He had the gift of faith so surely he is residing now in his heavenly home.

Richard is survived by his wife Linda; two sons, Frank, Ohio; Christopher (Heather) N. Kansas City, MO; four grandchildren, Jada, Jaclyn, Chase, Luke; eight siblings, James, Bellingham, WA; Janice Huebner, Pipestone; Dale (Rica), Tampa, FL; Roger, Flandreau; Dorothy Proctor, Chattanooga, TN; Ruth (Roy) Schramm, Flandreau; Linda (Ed) Gullickson, Flandreau;  Duane (Jacquie), Mountain Home, ID and his mother-in-law, Ruth Creasey, Mitchell, SD. Richard was preceded in death by his parents, sister Marilyn, brother Robert, and uncle Velmer Jordt.

Services will be 10:30 am Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at Skroch Funeral Chapel, Flandreau, with burial in Union Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the chapel with a 6:30 pm prayer service and time of sharing.