Jud Johnson

Jud Dale Johnson was born July 11, 1953, in Basin, Wyo., to Paul Stanley Johnson and Cora (Wilson) Johnson. He graduated from Basin High School in 1971 and in 1975 from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont., with a bachelor of science in education.

Jud taught junior high and high school math for 30 years in Montana and Texas and also had his own woodworking and construction business. In 1976 he married his college sweetheart Lynne (Stanhope) Johnson. They raised two daughters, Kora (Johnson) Lehmann and Kelsey Johnson.  

Jud was an accomplished and well-known athlete at the high school and collegiate levels. He was an NAIA No. 1 punter and was inducted into Rocky Mountain College’s Hall of Fame in 1992. His love of sports carried over into coaching baseball and influencing young lives through helping start a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chapter in Billings. 

Jud was a skilled woodworker and many of his family and friends still have the pieces he built for them or projects he completed in their homes. 

One of his greatest joys was being a husband, father and grandfather. He influenced his grandchildren with his playfulness. patience, wisdom and love. 

Jud’s faith and relationship with Jesus was the driving influence in his life. He loved to study, teach, write about and memorize God’s Word. It was this faith and knowledge of God’s word that gave him hope and joy in the midst of his battle with dementia. After his diagnosis, he started each day saying, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24). 

Jud, of Garland, Texas, died Sept. 26, 2019, after a long battle with dementia. He was 66.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Stanley; and mother, Cora. 

Jud is survived by his wife, Lynne; daughters Kora (John) Lehmann and Kelsey Johnson; seven grandchildren, Alex, Samuel, Joshua, Caleb, Nathaniel, Elijah and Claire; brother, Fred (Kim) Johnson; and sister, Cozy (Bob) Dorton; 12 nieces and nephews; and “bonus-mom” Cathy Johnson.