Roy Burton Johnson

Roy Burton Johnson

Roy Burton Johnson, age 89, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away early Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at his home. He was born Feb. 24, 1934, in Fort Scott, the son of Hugh W. Johnson and Mary Rebecca Neptune Johnson. Roy graduated from the Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1953. After high school, Roy served for two years with the United States Army. Following his military service, Roy returned to Fort Scott and married Letha Shelton on Oct. 27, 1956, at the First Church of God in Fort Scott. Roy and Letha lived in Shawnee Mission, Kan., for nine years. They then left the city and purchased a farm six miles west of Fort Scott where they lived the majority of their married life. Roy ran milk routes for approximately 16 years and also owned and operated a hardware store and lumberyard in Redfield, Kan., for nine years. Roy later began a career in insurance where he worked as an agent for twenty-five years. In 2009, Roy and Letha sold their farm and moved into Fort Scott. Roy was still actively doing insurance work until his retirement in 2016. Throughout his life, Roy has been an active member of the First Church of God where he served as elder for many years. He was awarded with a Life Elder Certificate in 2016. Roy was also a member of the Redfield Ruritan Club for over 50 years where he served in a variety of capacities including club president, district governor and foundation chairman. He was also a member of the American Legion.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Letha of the home; a daughter, Kelly Asbury of Exeter, Mo.; a granddaughter, Kyra Tollen (Dustin) of Battlefield, Mo., and a great-grandson, Biron Roy Tollen. Roy was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Olan, Bernard and James Johnson and two sisters, Ruth Lowry and Lois Fritter.

Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U.S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Ruritan National Foundation or the First Church of God and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.