Michael Peter Johnson, 94, of Huntington, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2018. He was the beloved husband of Naomi (Kharibian) Johnson for 65 years. Mike was born in Northbridge, MA on October 28, 1924; son of the late Peter and Sirarpe (Aroyan) Johnson.
Mike is survived by his children, Charles Johnson of MD, Carolyn Goff and her husband Stewart of MA, Lisa Ratner and her husband Joel of VA and Kathy Sweere of VA. He was the loving grandfather of Jonathan Najarian, Madison and Adam Sweere and Benjamin Ratner. He also leaves his sister, Sarah Piligian and her husband Paul of Saratoga, CA. He was predeceased by his brother, Papken Johnson in 2005 and his wife Margaret (Hagopian) in 2016. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Mike proudly served his country in WWII and Korea from 1944 to 1951 as an Army Private, Staff Sergeant and Criminal Investigative Detective with the 58th Military Police Co. APO301. During his military deployment, he traveled to San Juan Puerto Rico, South America, Trinidad, Central Europe and Germany. He parachuted multiple times behind enemy lines and was part of the Special Forces that liberated the largest Nazi Concentration Camp Buchenwald. He also served as a witness in the Nuremberg trials. He was discharged from service for WWII on June 16, 1949. He went back into active duty on June 27, 1949 and served in the Korean War as an Army Sergeant until he was discharged and relieved of Active Duty on November 30, 1952.
In between deployments, Mike attended Babson College and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business in 1953, finishing 4 years of college in three years through intensive study. His career as a Marketing Director took him and the family to various states every four years with nine moves.
Mike is a Past Master of the Masons, and has been a member for over 55 years. He was also a very active member of the Springfield Melha Shriners for many years and also an active member of the all male choral group called the Barnstormers. He served on the board and as a trustee of the Orange Congregational Church and the Central Congregational Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mike enjoyed backgammon, traveling, tennis, golfing, bowling, gardening, playing cards, telling jokes, singing and dancing with the love of his life Naomi, but most of all he loved being with his family.
Friends and family are invited to call on Monday, November 26, 2018 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at the CODY-WHITE FUNERAL HOME, 107 North Broad Street, Milford, CT. A Funeral Service will follow at 11 a.m. at the Orange Congregational Church, 205 Meetinghouse Lane, Orange, CT. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to the Orange Congregational Church.
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