Obituary of Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson , 89, of Malone, NY and Sarasota, FL., passed away in Sarasota, May 26, 2019, with his wife, Janet of 64 years by his side.
   Robert was born in Rochester, N.Y. March 18, 1930, son of the late John and Ethel Yando Johnson.  He graduated from Franklin Academy in 1948. He was a member of the 1947-48 winning basketball team. He and the team were named to the FA/SJA Athletic Hall of Fame.
   He enlisted in the U.S. Army in November 17,1948, and did basic training at Camp Pickett, Virginia. He attended clerk school in Fort Lee, Va.   He was then shipped to Japan in 1949. He spent one year at Camp McGill in Japan before being shipped to Korea in 1950.   He spent one year in Korea, was wounded in Feb. 1951 for which he received the Purple Heart.  He was discharged as SGT lst Class from Division Operations  at Fort Dix, N.J. He was honorably discharged in May of 1952.  
   He attended Columbia University in NYC then returned to Malone in 1954 
   On September 18, 1954 he married the former Janet Smith of Fort Covington, N.Y.  The ceremony took place in the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Covington with the Reverend Farr officiating.  They have lived in Malone in the Johnson family homestead all their married lives. They have spent the last 30 winters at their home in Sarasota, Florida.  
  He and his brother Jack started Johnson Industrial Painting Contractors in 1954 and completed contracts throughout NNY and Central  New York.  
In 1960 they started Moon Valley Ski Center (now Titus Mountain) while continuing  to operate the painting business. He retired in 1994.
   He was a life member of Malone Amvets Post #8 and was commander from 1974-1976.  He was also a member of Malone American Legion Post 219 and Tupper Lake VFW post 3120.  He was an avid hunter and was a member of Weller Mt. Hunting Club, Furnace Mt. Hunting Club and Owl Mt. Club.  He was also a member  of  the Malone Golf and Country Club.
   Survivors include his wife, Janet , his brother Donald (Jan) Johnson of  The Villages, FL. A sister-in-law, Charlotte Johnson of Plattsburgh, N.Y.  Brother-in law, Alan (Claudia) Smith of Fort  Covington, N.Y.  several nieces  and nephews, including Joe and Mary Johnson of Chasm Falls and Bob and Mary Ann Willette of Malone.  two grandchildren, Kimberly Abbott Apostol and her husband Alex of Colorado and William Abbott of California.
   Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Jack of Plattsburgh in 2000; beloved daughter, Janine Abbott on November 9, 2009, son-in-law, Jeffrey Abbott on June 17, 2009.  He was also predeceased by brother-in-law Charles Smith of Fort Covington, sister-in law Ann Berry , of St. Paul, Minnesota. He was also predeceased by stepmothers Ann Farley Johnson and Belle Savage Johnson. 
   Calling hours will be Friday, June 14, 2019 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Bruso-Desnoyers Funeral Home, in Malone, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 14, 2019, at 1 p.m., at St. Helen's Church, in Chasm Falls, NY. Burial will be in St. Helens Cemetery, in Chasm Falls, NY., with full Military Rites provided by the Malone Veterans organizations.
   Donations may be made in his memory to the Malone Amvets Building Fund.
   Online condolences may be made to the family at www.brusofuneralservice.com.
    Arrangements are through the Bruso-Desnoiyers Funeral Service, Inc. in Malone, NY