Louis A. Johnson

Despite being born and raised in a small, upstate Pennsylvanian town, Louis A. Johnson spent much of his 88 years determined to fill his mind to the brim while experiencing all the world had to offer.

Refusing to follow his father into the coal mines, Louis understood the importance of an education. After serving his country as a Yeoman for two years aboard a destroyer in the U.S. Navy, Louis enrolled in a prep school before pursuing a bachelors in Economics and an associates in Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. During his schooling, he began working at ITE Circuit Breaker Company in Philadelphia, and finished his degree at night.

Going hand-in-hand with his need for adventure, Louis began flying planes before cockpits were equipped with radios and owned several aircraft through the years. In addition to his instructor''s license, he held Instrument, Commercial and ATP ratings. After retiring, he flew sunset flights for the Civil Air Patrol searching for stranded boats in the Gulf of Mexico.

Louis met his first wife, Karen, on a blind date when she was 18 and he was 25. The pair raised their four children together, travelling to air shows and across the country. Many vacations began by packing the family into Louis''s Cessna before jetting to destinations such as Colorado, Canada, Oshkosh, Wis., the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. Louis also enjoyed tennis, golf, snorkeling, scuba diving and swinging Karen around on the dance floor.

As well as being in Men's and Barbershop choirs, Louis was a self-taught piano, organ and accordion player, and he shared his love of music with his children. Their Blue Bell home was filled with guitars, organ music and multi-part harmonies at Christmas. On weekends, Louis would fire up the living room Hammond organ and play favorites like "Edelweiss," "You''ll Never Walk Alone" and "Bicycle Built for Two." In his years at Elizabethtown Masonic Village, he would regularly walk the halls and sit down at the pianos or organs to play, drawing a small gathering of people who sat and listened.

The Johnson family was blessed twice with an amazing partner for Louis, who spent eight happy years with his second wife Linda after losing Karen to breast cancer.

Raised in the Philadelphia Masonic temple, Louis was a Mason for more than 65 years. He was also an NRA instructor and taught each of his children how to shoot.

A man of integrity, high principles, honor and decency, Louis wasn''t always easy to live with or live up to, but family love ran deep in his heart, and he was always ready to lend a helping hand.

The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band

-Dan Fogelberg "Leader of the Band"