Service Details
Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory on Sunday, September 26, 2021 for a visitation from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
A service celebrating and remembering Don’s life will follow at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Stephen D. Samuelson officiating. The service will be available via livestream by clicking on this link at 2:00 p.m. https://youtu.be/xmmypZ-v6mA
The family requests that everyone in attendance wear masks.
Memorial Suggestions
Memorials have been suggested to HOPE Safehouse, 1234 Lathrop Avenue, Racine, WI 53405, Hilton Head Humane Association, 10 Humane Way, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926, or Evans Scholars Foundation, 2501 Patriot Boulevard, Glenview, IL 60026.
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Miller's Flowers
Donald Ralph Johnson, age 79, passed away on September 9, 2021 in Cross Lake, MN after spending a beautiful fall day fishing with two good friends.
Don was born in Redding, CA on December 17, 1941 to Carl and Bertha (Truesdell) Johnson. His family moved to Oklahoma when Don was two, first to Quapaw for six months, and then to Picher, which is where Don grew up. Don was a star football player and captain of the team, he was senior class president and Homecoming king and also appeared in several school plays. He graduated from Picher-Cardin High School in 1959, and then received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS in 1965.
Don served his country in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1965-1971, receiving an honorable discharge.
Up until 1978, Don worked for several manufacturing facilities in the capacity of a Plant or General Manager, and he also owned two fast food restaurants for a little over a year. Then in September 1978, he found his niche when he was hired by Modine Manufacturing as the Production Manager at their McHenry, IL plant. In April 1979, he became Plant Manager, and was then promoted to Operations Manager, Automotive Division in Racine in 1982. Don quickly advanced to the General Manager of the Division, and became a company officer in 1988 as Vice President and General Manager of the Automotive Division. This was followed by Group Vice President in 1990 and Executive Vice President, Operations in 1994. Don became President and Chief Operating Officer in October 1996 and was elected to the Board of Directors the following year. He advanced to President and CEO in 1998, and Chairman of the Board in 2002, until his retirement in June 2003. During Don’s tenure with Modine, the company achieved many significant accomplishments, among them their increased presence in the global market through a series of acquisitions and joint ventures and Modine also broadened its product offering by entering new markets such as electronics and fuel cell technology.
In addition to Modine, Don also served as a board of director for Grede Foundries, Inc., Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, and the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. He was also a member of the Board of Regents of the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Don loved golf, going to the casino, at which he sometimes found great success playing slots, playing cards, country western music (Patsy Cline was a favorite), model trains, fishing, good bourbon (Pappy Van Winkle’s topped the list), the Packers and the Oklahoma Sooners. In retirement, Don and Sharon frequented their home in Hilton Head Island, SC where they enjoyed many dinners with good friends. Included among his loves were the many dogs, and two cats, he had throughout his life, but above all, Don loved his family and was very proud of them.
Surviving are his loving wife of 30 years (Don passed away six days before their 31st anniversary), Sharon, his son, Dave (Alyssa), daughter Allyson (Andrew) Docksey, grandsons, Carter and Cole, brother, David (Dianne) Johnson, sister Liz Johnson (Jon Kaplan), sisters-in-law, Nancy Holtz and Linda Mannetter (Zdislav Milijic), nephews Drew (Sarah) Johnson, and Adam (Becky) Mannetter, nieces Beth (Will) Bell, Carrie (Steve) Stern, and Kim (Eric) VanDyke, his faithful canine companions, Packer and Grace, and many other relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by Carolyn Johnson, the mother of his children, brother-in-law, Rudy Mannetter, father-in-law, Ray Holtz, mother-in-law, Evelyn Holtz, and two very special dogs, Clancy and Murphy.
Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory on Sunday, September 26, 2021 for a visitation from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. A service celebrating and remembering Don’s life will follow at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Stephen D. Samuelson officiating. You may watch the service via livestream by clicking on this link at 2:00 p.m. https://youtu.be/xmmypZ-v6mA. The family requests that everyone in attendance wear masks.
Memorials have been suggested to HOPE Safehouse, 1234 Lathrop Avenue, Racine, WI 53405, Hilton Head Humane Association, 10 Humane Way, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926, or Evans Scholars Foundation, 2501 Patriot Boulevard, Glenview, IL 60026.
Jerry Yant says
Sorry for your loss. Worked with Don and Sharon a few years at Modine. I worked at the Lawrenceburg, Tennessee Plant
Anonymous says
Our sincerest sympathy to Sharon and
all the family members. May the memories of many shared good times sustain you.
Sincerely,
Dean and Judy Howard
Joe Sabol says
Dear Sharon and Ally,
So sad to hear of Don’s passing, he will be greatly missed; I have good memories of Don. I never had the chance to play golf with Don, but share some of his other favorites. My conversation with Don was not extensive, but whenever I had a chance to ask him something about business, his answer was generally spot on, excellent business acumen. And, a great guy, too! My sympathy, your loss is Heaven’s gain. Be well, stay strong.
Dianne Johnson says
Don made the world a better place, and my life and our family’s better too. In my view, his life was cut too short. I celebrate the years we had him , and I will love him always.
Lori Jensen says
I was so sorry to hear about your loss Sharon. I have many fond memories of Don at HOPE Safehouse events. Especially the auction at RCC. My favorite memory is checking him out at the end of the auction and Don wondering why the bill was so high. When I showed him the items you had bid on, he recognized a vase and shouted to you across the room “Sharon didn’t we donate this?” you replied that you had but it wasn’t selling for enough so you bid on it . He rolled his eyes, sighed and handed me his credit card. He was a big softy for animals and I will never forget all the good he did.