Duane Kern Johnson

Duane Kern Johnson, age 87, died July 30, 2009 with his wife Esther and all five of his children at his side. He went to be with the Lord while his family sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". A native of Fort Collins, Duane was born December 17, 1921 at a Magnolia Street maternity home, four years before the hospital was built. His parents, Abner & Lena Kern Johnson, both graduated from Colorado A&M in 1915. Duane lost his father when he was 13 years old; Abner was killed in a construction accident while working on a depression-era CCC project in 1935. Lena raised their four children and lived to enjoy many grandchildren before her death in 1980. Duane's older brother Edgar Johnson, younger siblings Melvin Johnson, and Arlene Mercer, all preceded him in death. A Fort Collins High School graduate of 1939, Duane married his high school sweetheart, Esther Johnson on September 5, 1943, at the old First Baptist church, a stone church still standing at the corner of Remington & Magnolia in Fort Collins. After receiving a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Colorado A&M, Duane served his country during World War II not in uniform, but in a lab coat at Gates Rubber Company, vulcanizing rubber for gas masks and other military equipment. Duane returned to Colorado A&M for a Master's degree and was employed as a research chemist at Colorado State University for 34 years, retiring in 1982. During his 27 year retirement, Duane & Esther loved time with family, flowers, gardening and traveling, including five vacations to Hawaii. Duane is survived by his wife of 65 years, Esther Johnson and five children: Becky Sammons of Fort Collins; Nancy VanDamme of Cheyenne, Wyoming; Sandy Johns of Northglenn, Colorado; Janice Ribelin of Flagstaff, Arizona; and J.D. Johnson of Fort Collins. Duane was also blessed with 10 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. A graveside service will be held at 12 Noon, Friday, August 14th, 2009, in Grandview Cemetery, Fort Collins, Colorado. The family requests any memorial donations be made to Pathways Hospice in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St., Fort Collins, CO 80524.