ERIC ARDELL JOHNSON, age 51 years, of Delta, Pennsylvania died on Monday, May 12, 2008 at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, Maryland.
He was the husband of Marcia C. (Schaffer) Johnson, and they had shared sixteen years of marriage.
Eric A. Johnson was born on June 3, 1956 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; he was the third son and youngest child of Mary Pearl (Linkous) Johnson of Delta, Pennsylvania and the late Vincent A. Johnson.
Eric was a lifetime resident of the area attending Fawn Grove schools graduating in 1974 from Kennard-Dale High School. He was also a four year veteran of the United States Air Force serving as an Electronic Warfare Systems Technician from 1976-1980 stationed at Keesler AFB, MS and Grand Forks AFB, ND where he made many friends. After his tour of duty in the Air Force, Eric worked as a Xerox field technician and later a foreman, working in construction for David S. Yohn.
Eric was of the protestant faith and a member of the Community of Christ Church in Gatchelville, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Central Corvair Club in York, Pennsylvania; the Ridgeway Rifle Range; and a proud Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
Eric enjoyed spending time with his family and was always helping others. Eric was the kind of guy who, if you called him at 2 AM needing his help, his next words would be, "I'm on my way."
In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by:
Four children-
Miki D. Bell and her husband, Raymond of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Courtney C. Johnson, Clara C. Johnson and Vincent A. Johnson, all of Delta
Three grandchildren
Two brothers-
John V. Johnson and his wife, Sandy of Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
C. Robert Johnson and his wife, Joyce of Whiteford, Maryland
Numerous loving nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Vincent A. Johnson on September 24, 1987.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Harkins Funeral Home, 600 Main Street, Delta, Pennsylvania.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Friday at 11:00 AM.
Reverend Henry W. Heaps will officiate.
Interment will be in Fawn Grove Cemetery, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania.
Exact GPS coordinates of Eric's headstone on Google Earth: 39.725495, -76.450725
STORIES ABOUT ERIC
While serving in the Air Force in the late 1970s, Eric was shocked with 7,000 volts of electricity and lived to tell about it! He was working on a piece of B-52H electronics equipment in the Electronic Warfare Systems shop, when all of a sudden there was a flash, and he was thrown 15 to 20 feet backwards to the floor. The high-voltage arc blew a hole in the front of his uniform pants at about mid-thigh on his left leg. At first, we all thought he was dead, but incredibly, he was not hurt. Well, he was sore for a few days but suffered no permanent injury. The electrical current stayed on his left side, passing through his left hand, arm, left side of his torso, and left leg. Had the current passed through his right hand, arm, and then out the left leg it would have crossed through his torso and stopped his heart. Truly a miracle!
*****
The Great Red River of the North flooded to over 20 miles wide in some areas of the Red River Valley in late April 1979 when an entire winter's worth of snow melted in just three days of sudden 70°F weather. The melt started on a Friday and by Monday the only snow left on the ground was on the north side of windbreaks and buildings.
A call went out for help and Eric immediately volunteered along with hundreds of other airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base who were bused to the city of Grand Forks to assist in the massive flood relief effort. Eric sandbagged for 52 hours straight in the wind and the cold and the wet. Twice he grabbed a few hours of rest sleeping on piles of sand and sandbags sandwiching himself between two tarps to block the wind and stay dry. He found the sand was a little warmer to sleep on than the mostly still frozen North Dakota earth.
Eric helped ring entire city blocks with sandbags piled chest high and he stood vigil over manhole covers that sometimes exploded up into the air from the back pressure in the city sewer system created by the 50-foot high floodwaters a mile to his east. He existed on stale sandwiches, hard candy bars, and bad coffee sold for a dime each by the American Red Cross from their flat bottom boats floating through the flooded city streets. Not one home was flooded in the city blocks where Eric and his Air Force buddies worked around the clock for over two days during the river's crest.
When he finally came home 52 hours after he started, Eric slept for 18 hours straight. When he woke up, he couldn't move his neck because of the stiff and overworked muscles.
In late 1980, the Air Force approved the Humanitarian Service Medal for those Air Force members who participated in the Great Red River of the North flood relief efforts in late April and early May 1979. Unfortunately, Eric was never awarded his Humanitarian Service Medal because he separated from the Air Force in November 1979. Just know that Eric rightfully earned the HSM by playing a huge part in helping save hundreds of homes for people he never knew.
He was the husband of Marcia C. (Schaffer) Johnson, and they had shared sixteen years of marriage.
Eric A. Johnson was born on June 3, 1956 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; he was the third son and youngest child of Mary Pearl (Linkous) Johnson of Delta, Pennsylvania and the late Vincent A. Johnson.
Eric was a lifetime resident of the area attending Fawn Grove schools graduating in 1974 from Kennard-Dale High School. He was also a four year veteran of the United States Air Force serving as an Electronic Warfare Systems Technician from 1976-1980 stationed at Keesler AFB, MS and Grand Forks AFB, ND where he made many friends. After his tour of duty in the Air Force, Eric worked as a Xerox field technician and later a foreman, working in construction for David S. Yohn.
Eric was of the protestant faith and a member of the Community of Christ Church in Gatchelville, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Central Corvair Club in York, Pennsylvania; the Ridgeway Rifle Range; and a proud Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
Eric enjoyed spending time with his family and was always helping others. Eric was the kind of guy who, if you called him at 2 AM needing his help, his next words would be, "I'm on my way."
In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by:
Four children-
Miki D. Bell and her husband, Raymond of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Courtney C. Johnson, Clara C. Johnson and Vincent A. Johnson, all of Delta
Three grandchildren
Two brothers-
John V. Johnson and his wife, Sandy of Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
C. Robert Johnson and his wife, Joyce of Whiteford, Maryland
Numerous loving nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Vincent A. Johnson on September 24, 1987.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Harkins Funeral Home, 600 Main Street, Delta, Pennsylvania.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Friday at 11:00 AM.
Reverend Henry W. Heaps will officiate.
Interment will be in Fawn Grove Cemetery, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania.
Exact GPS coordinates of Eric's headstone on Google Earth: 39.725495, -76.450725
STORIES ABOUT ERIC
While serving in the Air Force in the late 1970s, Eric was shocked with 7,000 volts of electricity and lived to tell about it! He was working on a piece of B-52H electronics equipment in the Electronic Warfare Systems shop, when all of a sudden there was a flash, and he was thrown 15 to 20 feet backwards to the floor. The high-voltage arc blew a hole in the front of his uniform pants at about mid-thigh on his left leg. At first, we all thought he was dead, but incredibly, he was not hurt. Well, he was sore for a few days but suffered no permanent injury. The electrical current stayed on his left side, passing through his left hand, arm, left side of his torso, and left leg. Had the current passed through his right hand, arm, and then out the left leg it would have crossed through his torso and stopped his heart. Truly a miracle!
*****
The Great Red River of the North flooded to over 20 miles wide in some areas of the Red River Valley in late April 1979 when an entire winter's worth of snow melted in just three days of sudden 70°F weather. The melt started on a Friday and by Monday the only snow left on the ground was on the north side of windbreaks and buildings.
A call went out for help and Eric immediately volunteered along with hundreds of other airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base who were bused to the city of Grand Forks to assist in the massive flood relief effort. Eric sandbagged for 52 hours straight in the wind and the cold and the wet. Twice he grabbed a few hours of rest sleeping on piles of sand and sandbags sandwiching himself between two tarps to block the wind and stay dry. He found the sand was a little warmer to sleep on than the mostly still frozen North Dakota earth.
Eric helped ring entire city blocks with sandbags piled chest high and he stood vigil over manhole covers that sometimes exploded up into the air from the back pressure in the city sewer system created by the 50-foot high floodwaters a mile to his east. He existed on stale sandwiches, hard candy bars, and bad coffee sold for a dime each by the American Red Cross from their flat bottom boats floating through the flooded city streets. Not one home was flooded in the city blocks where Eric and his Air Force buddies worked around the clock for over two days during the river's crest.
When he finally came home 52 hours after he started, Eric slept for 18 hours straight. When he woke up, he couldn't move his neck because of the stiff and overworked muscles.
In late 1980, the Air Force approved the Humanitarian Service Medal for those Air Force members who participated in the Great Red River of the North flood relief efforts in late April and early May 1979. Unfortunately, Eric was never awarded his Humanitarian Service Medal because he separated from the Air Force in November 1979. Just know that Eric rightfully earned the HSM by playing a huge part in helping save hundreds of homes for people he never knew.
ERIC ARDELL JOHNSON, age 51 years, of Delta, Pennsylvania died on Monday, May 12, 2008 at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, Maryland.
He was the husband of Marcia C. (Schaffer) Johnson, and they had shared sixteen years of marriage.
Eric A. Johnson was born on June 3, 1956 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; he was the third son and youngest child of Mary Pearl (Linkous) Johnson of Delta, Pennsylvania and the late Vincent A. Johnson.
Eric was a lifetime resident of the area attending Fawn Grove schools graduating in 1974 from Kennard-Dale High School. He was also a four year veteran of the United States Air Force serving as an Electronic Warfare Systems Technician from 1976-1980 stationed at Keesler AFB, MS and Grand Forks AFB, ND where he made many friends. After his tour of duty in the Air Force, Eric worked as a Xerox field technician and later a foreman, working in construction for David S. Yohn.
Eric was of the protestant faith and a member of the Community of Christ Church in Gatchelville, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Central Corvair Club in York, Pennsylvania; the Ridgeway Rifle Range; and a proud Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
Eric enjoyed spending time with his family and was always helping others. Eric was the kind of guy who, if you called him at 2 AM needing his help, his next words would be, "I'm on my way."
In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by:
Four children-
Miki D. Bell and her husband, Raymond of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Courtney C. Johnson, Clara C. Johnson and Vincent A. Johnson, all of Delta
Three grandchildren
Two brothers-
John V. Johnson and his wife, Sandy of Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
C. Robert Johnson and his wife, Joyce of Whiteford, Maryland
Numerous loving nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Vincent A. Johnson on September 24, 1987.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Harkins Funeral Home, 600 Main Street, Delta, Pennsylvania.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Friday at 11:00 AM.
Reverend Henry W. Heaps will officiate.
Interment will be in Fawn Grove Cemetery, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania.
Exact GPS coordinates of Eric's headstone on Google Earth: 39.725495, -76.450725
STORIES ABOUT ERIC
While serving in the Air Force in the late 1970s, Eric was shocked with 7,000 volts of electricity and lived to tell about it! He was working on a piece of B-52H electronics equipment in the Electronic Warfare Systems shop, when all of a sudden there was a flash, and he was thrown 15 to 20 feet backwards to the floor. The high-voltage arc blew a hole in the front of his uniform pants at about mid-thigh on his left leg. At first, we all thought he was dead, but incredibly, he was not hurt. Well, he was sore for a few days but suffered no permanent injury. The electrical current stayed on his left side, passing through his left hand, arm, left side of his torso, and left leg. Had the current passed through his right hand, arm, and then out the left leg it would have crossed through his torso and stopped his heart. Truly a miracle!
*****
The Great Red River of the North flooded to over 20 miles wide in some areas of the Red River Valley in late April 1979 when an entire winter's worth of snow melted in just three days of sudden 70°F weather. The melt started on a Friday and by Monday the only snow left on the ground was on the north side of windbreaks and buildings.
A call went out for help and Eric immediately volunteered along with hundreds of other airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base who were bused to the city of Grand Forks to assist in the massive flood relief effort. Eric sandbagged for 52 hours straight in the wind and the cold and the wet. Twice he grabbed a few hours of rest sleeping on piles of sand and sandbags sandwiching himself between two tarps to block the wind and stay dry. He found the sand was a little warmer to sleep on than the mostly still frozen North Dakota earth.
Eric helped ring entire city blocks with sandbags piled chest high and he stood vigil over manhole covers that sometimes exploded up into the air from the back pressure in the city sewer system created by the 50-foot high floodwaters a mile to his east. He existed on stale sandwiches, hard candy bars, and bad coffee sold for a dime each by the American Red Cross from their flat bottom boats floating through the flooded city streets. Not one home was flooded in the city blocks where Eric and his Air Force buddies worked around the clock for over two days during the river's crest.
When he finally came home 52 hours after he started, Eric slept for 18 hours straight. When he woke up, he couldn't move his neck because of the stiff and overworked muscles.
In late 1980, the Air Force approved the Humanitarian Service Medal for those Air Force members who participated in the Great Red River of the North flood relief efforts in late April and early May 1979. Unfortunately, Eric was never awarded his Humanitarian Service Medal because he separated from the Air Force in November 1979. Just know that Eric rightfully earned the HSM by playing a huge part in helping save hundreds of homes for people he never knew.
He was the husband of Marcia C. (Schaffer) Johnson, and they had shared sixteen years of marriage.
Eric A. Johnson was born on June 3, 1956 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; he was the third son and youngest child of Mary Pearl (Linkous) Johnson of Delta, Pennsylvania and the late Vincent A. Johnson.
Eric was a lifetime resident of the area attending Fawn Grove schools graduating in 1974 from Kennard-Dale High School. He was also a four year veteran of the United States Air Force serving as an Electronic Warfare Systems Technician from 1976-1980 stationed at Keesler AFB, MS and Grand Forks AFB, ND where he made many friends. After his tour of duty in the Air Force, Eric worked as a Xerox field technician and later a foreman, working in construction for David S. Yohn.
Eric was of the protestant faith and a member of the Community of Christ Church in Gatchelville, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Central Corvair Club in York, Pennsylvania; the Ridgeway Rifle Range; and a proud Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
Eric enjoyed spending time with his family and was always helping others. Eric was the kind of guy who, if you called him at 2 AM needing his help, his next words would be, "I'm on my way."
In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by:
Four children-
Miki D. Bell and her husband, Raymond of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Courtney C. Johnson, Clara C. Johnson and Vincent A. Johnson, all of Delta
Three grandchildren
Two brothers-
John V. Johnson and his wife, Sandy of Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
C. Robert Johnson and his wife, Joyce of Whiteford, Maryland
Numerous loving nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Vincent A. Johnson on September 24, 1987.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Harkins Funeral Home, 600 Main Street, Delta, Pennsylvania.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Friday at 11:00 AM.
Reverend Henry W. Heaps will officiate.
Interment will be in Fawn Grove Cemetery, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania.
Exact GPS coordinates of Eric's headstone on Google Earth: 39.725495, -76.450725
STORIES ABOUT ERIC
While serving in the Air Force in the late 1970s, Eric was shocked with 7,000 volts of electricity and lived to tell about it! He was working on a piece of B-52H electronics equipment in the Electronic Warfare Systems shop, when all of a sudden there was a flash, and he was thrown 15 to 20 feet backwards to the floor. The high-voltage arc blew a hole in the front of his uniform pants at about mid-thigh on his left leg. At first, we all thought he was dead, but incredibly, he was not hurt. Well, he was sore for a few days but suffered no permanent injury. The electrical current stayed on his left side, passing through his left hand, arm, left side of his torso, and left leg. Had the current passed through his right hand, arm, and then out the left leg it would have crossed through his torso and stopped his heart. Truly a miracle!
*****
The Great Red River of the North flooded to over 20 miles wide in some areas of the Red River Valley in late April 1979 when an entire winter's worth of snow melted in just three days of sudden 70°F weather. The melt started on a Friday and by Monday the only snow left on the ground was on the north side of windbreaks and buildings.
A call went out for help and Eric immediately volunteered along with hundreds of other airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base who were bused to the city of Grand Forks to assist in the massive flood relief effort. Eric sandbagged for 52 hours straight in the wind and the cold and the wet. Twice he grabbed a few hours of rest sleeping on piles of sand and sandbags sandwiching himself between two tarps to block the wind and stay dry. He found the sand was a little warmer to sleep on than the mostly still frozen North Dakota earth.
Eric helped ring entire city blocks with sandbags piled chest high and he stood vigil over manhole covers that sometimes exploded up into the air from the back pressure in the city sewer system created by the 50-foot high floodwaters a mile to his east. He existed on stale sandwiches, hard candy bars, and bad coffee sold for a dime each by the American Red Cross from their flat bottom boats floating through the flooded city streets. Not one home was flooded in the city blocks where Eric and his Air Force buddies worked around the clock for over two days during the river's crest.
When he finally came home 52 hours after he started, Eric slept for 18 hours straight. When he woke up, he couldn't move his neck because of the stiff and overworked muscles.
In late 1980, the Air Force approved the Humanitarian Service Medal for those Air Force members who participated in the Great Red River of the North flood relief efforts in late April and early May 1979. Unfortunately, Eric was never awarded his Humanitarian Service Medal because he separated from the Air Force in November 1979. Just know that Eric rightfully earned the HSM by playing a huge part in helping save hundreds of homes for people he never knew.
Inscription
SGT US AIR FORCE
Gravesite Details
At grade, polished, grey, granite slab with black speckles provides the base for a full-sized, bronze, VA plaque.
