Dr. John M. "Skip" Johnson

Dr. John M. “Skip” Johnson, age 81, of Hillsboro passed away Friday, April 5, 2019, at a Fort Worth hospital. Funeral services will be at 1:00 PM, Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at the First United Methodist Church in Hillsboro with Rev. Alison Zollinger officiating. Burial will follow at Hickey Cemetery near Hillsboro. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 PM, Monday at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro.

On July 10, 1937, Skip was born to John Newton and Estes (Meade) Johnson in Paris, Texas. When he was only two weeks old, the family moved to Odessa where his father went to work for Phillips 66. During his junior year of high school, they moved again to Alvin where Skip would graduate high school. After high school, he continued his education, first at Rice University where he earned a BS in biology and minor in English, and then on to the University of Minnesota where he completed his Master’s in Public Health.

An exceptional student, he completed his medical education at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and then his residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. He then joined the U. S. Public Health Service as a Lt. Commander and served for 3 years on Indian reservations in Rosebud, ND. It was there while transporting patients to nearby hospitals with the aid of a local cropduster, he learned to fly.

As he prepared to enter private practice, he happened to be passing through Hillsboro not long after the new Grant-Buie Hospital opened. A telephone call to Dr. Morgan Buie and some home cooking from Mrs. Buie along with the new state-of-the-art hospital convinced him that Hillsboro was where he needed to be. So the family packed up and drove and he flew his plane to begin a more than four decade career in Hillsboro.

Skip was united in marriage to Diane Carver in Hillsboro in 1997. A few years later, he retired from Family Diagnostic Medical Center in 2000, but continued to work in emegency medicine until retiring fully in 2004. The couple enjoyed traveling many places together. Almost anything Skip set his mind to, he could excell at doing. He won dancing contests, played the sax and piano, and was an avid golfer and bowler. He relished big band music (especially Sinatra) and jazz, as well.

A long-time member of First United Methodist Church, Skip was also very active in the American Academy of Family Physicians. In addition, he served as the Hill County Health Officer from the 1970's until his passing. For several years, he also was a Preceptor for medical students at Southwest Medical School in Dallas.

Preceding him in death were his parents; a daughter, Stacey “Katie” Johnson; and an infant brother, Jimmy Don. Survivors include his loving wife, Diane; three children, Chris Johnson and wife, Dawn, of Olympia, WA, Shannon Taylor of Hillsboro, and Brent Taylor of Monroe, LA; three grand-children, Jeremy Gradberg and wife, Katherine, of Gary, Jason Gradberg and wife, Amber, of Carthage, and Arden Genore of Hillsboro; four great-grandchildren, Aidan, Adam, Amy and Abby.

Also surviving are two brothers-in-law, Dennis Carver and wife, Susie of Benbrook and Danny Carver of Cleburne; two nieces, Angela and Lisa Carver of Hillsboro; and his loving dog, Chloe.

Memorials may be made to the American Stroke Association, P.O. Box 841125, Dallas, TX 75284-1125 or the Hillsboro City Library, 118 South Waco St., Hillsboro, TX 76645.

Funeral Service

1:00 PM ,Tuesday, April 9, 2019
First United Methodist Church
315 East Elm Hillsboro, TX 76645

Burial

Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Hickey Cemetery
HCR 2431 Hillsboro, TX 76645

Visitation

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ,Monday, April 8, 2019
Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro
2495 Corsicana Highway Hillsboro, TX 76645