06/27/2024
It is with great saddness to announce the passing of my dad.
Here is the Obituary for my dad Tom Johnsen
Tom *Old Man* Johnsen, Age 75, passed away on June 25, 2024. He was born on November 12, 1948 in Shelby. The son of Ansker & Kate (McLouth) Johnsen.
He fell in love with Mary O'Brien at Tom's Dairy Bar and they married on November 23, 1968. They were married for 44 years before her passing in 2012. He would eventually form a partnership with Sue Zack, who had experienced a similar loss.
He was drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War where he served honorably from 1968-1970 alongside his Army brother, “Harris Mason”.
Tom worked at Ho**er Chemical, Howmet and owned his own sign business before later retiring from GE Aviation. After retirement, he started working with his son Mike and grandsons Hunter and Kevin, in construction.
He loved road trips, especially in his 1964 Chevelle "Baby". Whether they were spur of the moment U.P. trips, or yard-saling that turned into all day adventures, he and Sue were known for "never being home". Sometimes missing Family Friday Dinner with just a text "at the bridge". He was given the opportunity to fish Lake Erie with Walleyes for Wounded Heroes and loved his time on the water with other Veterans. His family often joked about putting a GPS Tracker on him, just in case.
While his health started failing him, his eyesight never did - spotting many bear, deer and eagles on his drives and always knowing and recounting the exact number for each trip in a 500 word, run-on sentence, posted on Facebook.
In his younger years, he was known for his pearl-snap wrangler shirts, and later in life, his shirts with funny and sometimes offensive sayings. Always ready with a smart remark, his love for his family and friends was more often than not shown through his lighthearted heckling.
Aside from being an ever-present Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and friend, one of his greatest honors was being named an Eagle Scout Mentor by Jarrett.
There were so many important people in his life that we simply could never name them all, even though he would have tagged everyone on his Facebook post.
A Celebration of Tom's Life will be held at St. Joseph's Fellowship Hall, 2380 West Jackson Road, Hart, MI 49420 Sunday June 30 from 1:30pm-7pm. Military Honors will take place at 2pm with luncheon to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Walleyes For Wounded Heroes.
Preceded in death by:
Parents: Kate (McLouth) & Ansker Johnsen
Wife: Mary (O'Brien) Johnsen
Siblings:
Charles Gibson
Wes Huls
Grace (Don) Ferris
Mary (Ed) Hancock
Sharon Johnsen
Jim Johnsen
Siblings in law:
Alan Campbell Jr
Louise (Jim) Wicklund
Clara Jean (Donald) Baron
Joe Bowman
Leon Kenfield
Harry O'Brien
Naydene Lipps
Annabelle Fuller
Survived by
Children:
Mike (Audrey)
Dan (Amy)
Taresa
Tami
Significant Other: Sue Zack
Grandchildren:
Hunter
Hailey
Kevin
Jasmine (Zach)
Great Grand Child
Kylie
Siblings
Leona Gibson
Vera Huls
Earl Johnsen
Siblings in law
Carol Campbell
Sondra Bowman
Sally Lauber
Owen O'Brien
Ken Lipps
