Obituary of James Johnson

James Joseph Johnson (J.J.) James Johnson, age 82, passed away on April 3, 2012 with family by his side. He was born June 4, 1929 in Phillipsburg Pennsylvania, the son of the late William A. Johnson and Elizabeth Manarich Johnson. He was a loving husband, father, father in-law, and papa. He was a proud veteran of the United States Army who served in the Pacific. He worked for General Electric until he was laid off and worked for Firch Baking Company delivering bread to households throughout Erie County. After 18 years of delivering bread, he went back to General Electric and retired from there in 1994. He adored his wife Rachel, who he was married to for 56 years, until her death in 2010. He enjoyed caring for his many pets, gardening, and in particular family. Family was most important and he was proud to tell anyone he met about his boys. He was a shy man with a huge heart and a love for the simple things in life. As papa, the grandchildren always had a seat on his lap and a dum-dum sucker. Jim is preceded in death by the loves of his life, his wife Rachel Ann Costolo and his granddaughter, Jennifer Renee Johnson. He is also preceded in death by two brothers; Eugene and Joseph Johnson. He is survived by his five sons and daughters- in-law: Jimi & Bonnie, Gary & Sharon, David & Cathy, Brian & Diane, Donny & Susan, fourteen grandchildren: J. R. Johnson (Dacia Hamilton), Jackie Forness (Ricky), Michelle Schriefer (Kyle), Rachelle Martin (Alexander), Jeremy Johnson, Jill Abata (Vinnie), Sarah Johnson, Brianna Johnson, Ian Johnson, David Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Kyle Johnson, Bianca Johnson, Adam Johnson, and nine great-grandchildren: Michela, Madison, Brady, Gianna, Madelynn, Mayley, Jackson, Hannah, and Trent. He is also survived by his brothers; Albert Johnson (Mary) & William Johnson, his sister, Madeline Kolatorowicz (Ed), and his best friend, Joe Darden. Friends may call at the Dusckas-Martin Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 4216 Sterrettania Rd on Monday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited there on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. for prayers followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Mount Carmel at 11:00 a.m. Interment with full military honors at Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery. Donations may be made in his memory to National Parkinson Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, 3468 Babcock Blvd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15237 or Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Foundation, 100 Barber Place, Erie, Pennsylvania 16507. Enhance your memorial with a slideshow and video