Rev. Duane Everett Johnson died peacefully early Sunday, 27 June, 2021 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio in Toledo, Ohio. He was born on 26 June, 1932 in Van Buren, Ohio to Ora E. and Pearl L. (Terry) Johnson. Duane was born in the United Brethren parsonage on a Sunday morning immediately following his father’s sermon. While his father was preaching, he noted a midwife at the back of the church gesturing for him to ‘cut it short’ and get home for the birth of his first child. He made it in time to welcome son Duane into the world.
Duane attended McKinley Grade School and DeVilbiss High School in Toledo. He attended the University of Toledo and Defiance College, Defiance, Ohio, graduating from the latter with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. From 1952 to 1953, he worked on the assembly line at Willys Motors in Toledo. From 1954 to 1958 he was a buyer for the Textileather Division of the General Tire and Rubber Company in Toledo. In November 1949, Duane joined the United States Naval Reserve and served two four-year terms, receiving an Honorable Discharge in 1957. On August 9, 1958, Duane was received as a Probationer in the Ohio Sandusky Conference of The Evangelical United Brethren Church. He was assigned to the Oakwood E.U.B. Church, Oakwood, Ohio where he served as a Student Pastor from 1958 to 1964. In 1964 he graduated from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio with a Master of Divinity Degree. On June 30, 1964 Duane was ordained by Bishop Paul M. Herrick during the Annual Session of the Ohio Sandusky Conference at Camp St. Mary’s, St. Mary’s, Ohio. In 1964 he was assigned to First E.U.B. Church in North Baltimore, Ohio, which changed its name to Church of the Good Shepherd in 1970 after the merger of The Evangelical United Brethren Church with The Methodist Church in 1968. While serving in North Baltimore, Duane was elected in 1969 to the school board of the North Baltimore Public Schools. In 1972 and 1973 he served as board president. From 1974 to 1981 he was Pastor of the Oxford United Methodist Church, Oxford, Ohio. From 1981 to 1996 he was Pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church, Granville. During Duane’s 38 years in the Ministry, he baptized 553 persons, married 469 couples and conducted 397 funerals. In June, 2021, Duane received his 60 Year Membership Award from The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio.
Duane was married to his wife Norma (Sloan) on 5 November 1951 at Upton Evangelical United Brethren Church in Toledo, Ohio. They were married by Duane’s father.
Duane is survived by his wife, Norma; children, Debra Swartz, Gordon (Robyn) Johnson, Gary (Debra Lynne) Johnson and Greg Johnson; grandsons, Zachary (Michelle) Swartz, Jacob (Tess) Swartz, Lucas (Amanda) Swartz, Matthew (Stephanie) Johnson, Marcus (Cassidy) Johnson, Lucas (Valarie) Johnson, 15 great grandchildren; brother, Rev. Gordon (Ruthanne) Johnson, sister, Princess (Wade) Miller and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Michael Swartz, great grandson Oliver Finn Johnson and sisters, Phyllis Wrenn and Cheryl Carlson.
There will be no services. A private memorial is being planned for a later date.
