Service Friday for Denver Leroy Johnson

Denver Leroy Johnson went to his eternal home on Saturday, April 20, 2019.  He was born on February 4, 1933 in Burr Valley, Oklahoma, to Sally (Anderson) and Harley Johnson.

He married Norma Whalen of Lehigh, Oklahoma, on December 29, 1956.  

Upon graduating from Tupelo High School in 1951, Denver attended telegraphy school to work for the Frisco Railroad.  He began work shortly thereafter for the railroad company and worked all over the state of Oklahoma until he was drafted into the United States Army, serving in the Korean War.  After his military service, Denver began college at East Central University in Ada.  He received his bachelors of science in education and masters in school administration.  In 1958 he began teaching at Olney, Oklahoma; moving from Olney to Tupelo where he taught high school and coached.  After Tupelo, he was offered the principal/coaching position at Sasakwa high school.  Denver finished his education career at Pleasant Grove High School in 1986 after teaching for 30 years.

He later worked for the Seminole County Assessor’s office where he worked for 10 more years before retiring permanently.  

Survivors include daughter Glenda and husband Dr. Gerald Davis of Duncan, son Mark and wife Kelley Johnson of Seminole, and daughter Donna and husband Darren Frederick of Seminole.  Other survivors include brothers Floyd and wife Betty Johnson of Holdenville and Donny Johnson of Allen; sister Betty Rauniker of Ada; grandchildren Dr. Gerrad Davis and wife Abby of Duncan, Geoffrey Davis of Wetumka, Gregory Davis of Oklahoma City, Ryan Kenyon and wife Casey of Prague, Kyler Phillips and husband Chase of Tulsa, Gage Johnson and wife Karis of Tulsa, and Colin Frederick and Chloe Frederick of Seminole; great-grandchildren Hayden, Finley, and Brisco Davis, Alex Wilson, Sydney Sears, Emma, Tommy and Waylon Kenyon and Evelyn and London Johnson; plus honorary granddaughter Brett Gowdy-Auld.  Also his Carl’s Junior breakfast buddies.

Denver is preceded in death by his wife of 56 years; brothers Ernest, Edsel, and Bill Johnson; and sisters, Helen Jennings, Maxine Linker, and Wanda Skaggs.  

Pallbearers are his grandsons and honorary pallbearers are the Carl’s Junior Breakfast Club.

Funeral Services will be held at First Baptist Church, 420 Reid Street in Seminole, on Friday, April 26, 2019 at 2:00 P.M.  There will be a family visitation on Thursday evening from 6-8 P.M., at Swearingen Funeral Home.   Burial will follow with Military Honors at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens, east of Seminole.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma.