Lt. Col. Richard Thayne Johnson, USAF (Ret.)

Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Thayne Johnson, USAF (Ret.), 77, of Mount Airy, husband of Charmaine Golding Johnson, passed away Monday, May 3, 2010, at the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson. He was born December 14 1932, in Lafayette, IN, to the late Thomas Howard and Ruby Hagen Johnson. Lt. Col. Johnson was a 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force, having retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel. He served in Vietnam and with the United Nations in the Congo War. He was a career Air Force pilot and also served as chief of police in Thailand and at Pope Air Force Base. Lt. Col. Johnson was a JROTC instructor at Surry Central High School in Dobson. Lt. Col. Johnson returned to serve his country as a civilian in GSA, United States Army, and the United States Navy, completing over 42 years of honorable and selfless service to his country. He was of the Christian faith. Surviving are his wife, Charmaine Golding Johnson of the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Cindy Leigh Gentry and Barry of State Road and Christine Lisa Royal and Timothy of Yadkinville; a son and daughter-in-law, Brian C. Johnson and Carol of Elkin; five grandchildren, Jessica Johnson, Adam Royal, Nicholas Cox, Joshua Cox, and Tonya Alderman, two great-grandchildren, Blake Alderman and Alli Cox; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Margaret Wimmer and George of Eustis, FL, and Mary Jeanne Fones of Kernersville; a brother and sister-in-law, Tom Johnson and Barbara of Tucson, AZ; two goddaughters, Jillian Aubrey of Overland Park, KS, and Rachel Doyle of Colorado; two aunts, Bonnie Flint of Laguna Hills, CA, and Elsie Newell of California; sister and brother-in-law, Monica and Dr. Daniel Wong of the Republic of Pananma; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. In addition to his parents, Lt. Col. Johnson was preceded in death by a son, Tommy Johnson. Burial will follow in the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA August 18, 2010 at 3:00 PM. The family is grateful for food donations, but requests that food be sent to the Foothills Food Pantry, 233 Cooper Street, Dobson, NC 27017. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dobson Lions Club, P.O. Box 473, Dobson, NC 27017, or to the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home, 945 Zephyr Road, Dobson, NC 27017.