Laurence Johnson

Hastings resident, Laurence R. Johnson, 71, of 1005 West 10th Street, died Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at Perkins Pavilion.

Services will be Saturday, February 24, 2007; 10:00 A.M. at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd with Rev. John Lee Ross officiating. Burial will be in Parkview Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, February 22, 2007; 5pm-9pm & Friday, February 23, 2007; 9am-9pm & Saturday, February 24, 2007; 1 hr. prior to service at the church. Memorials to Laurence R. Johnson Memorial Fund.

Mr. Johnson was born April 12, 1935 in Hastings, Nebraska to Oscar H. & Anna M. (Thinnes) Johnson. He lived at Roseland, Hastings, Inland, Deweese and Minden, Nebraska. He worked as a body-fender repairman & mechanic since he was 19 at various shops in Hastings. On June 19, 1956, he married LeahAnn Garrelts in Holstein, Nebraska. He was a Hastings Police Officer, starting in December of 1960. He was made Sergeant in 1972 and headed the Investigation Department until he retired in 1990. He then went to work for Samuelson Equipment as a painter and general maintenance man. He had a massive stroke on January 3, 2006 and after intensive therapy, he retired. He was a member of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd; Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #9; Knights of Pythias -past president and Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #592.

Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law & brother-in-law.

Survivors include:
Wife: LeahAnn Johnson - Hastings, NE
Daughters & Sons-in-law: JoAnn Marie & Bill Kucera - Ravenna, NE
Cheryl Jean & Edward Thiel - Hastings, NE
Marilyn Mae Alexander
Sons & Daughters-in-law: Larry Allan & Amanda Johnson - Omaha, NE
Kenneth Dean & Alicia Johnson - Los Lunas, NM
Grandchildren & Spouses: Stacy (Kucera) & Randy Paitz, Elizabeth (Flesner) Morris, Miranda Lea (Thiel) & Brad Koehn, Timothy Flesner, Ryan Kucera, Jeffery Thiel, Joseph Johnson, Karrie (Kucera) & David Huryta, Natasha Johnson, Emilea Flesner, Thomas Johnson, Courtney Anne Thiel, Zoe Johnson, David Flesner, Tara Johnson, Amy Thiel, ChristiAna Thiel, Benjamin Thiel, Noah Thiel
Great Grandchildren: Aiden Morris, Gavin Morris, Alyson Koehn, Karson Paitz, Landon Johnson, Tyson Johnson, Madelyn Johnson
Mother-in-law: Helena M. Garrelts - Kearney, NE
Sisters-in-law: Miriam E. Gellermann - Wilcox, NE
Susan Jane Brockmeier - Cozad, NE
Nieces & Nephews: 11
Many Cousins & Friends