Gary Dean Johnson's Obituary
Gary D. Johnson, beloved husband, father, friend, and Realtor passed away in Longview on September 1, 2021, just nine days prior to his 84th birthday. Born in Seminole, Oklahoma, on September 10, 1937, to Floyd and Erta Johnson, Gary moved with his family to Texas during the oil boom, living in La Marque, Cayuga, Overton, and finally settling down in New London, Texas when he was in the fourth grade. He graduated with Honors from London High School in 1955, where he was a member of the high school band, served as a Class Vice President, Dramatics Club President, Wildcat Staff, Student Council, One Act Play, Senior Play, Senior Favorite, and a member of the High School Orchestra.
Following high school graduation, Gary was accepted as a member of the prestigious Kilgore College Ranger Band as a trombone player, traveling with and accompanying the world-famous Rangerettes. He was selected to be a member of honorary Theta Kappa, where he served as Vice-President. In addition, he was chosen by the faculty to receive the Outstanding English Student Award.
On June 28, 1957, he married his girlfriend since fourth grade, Glenda Woodall Johnson. Continuing his education at the University of Texas in Austin, Gary was accepted into the honorary business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, and graduated with honors with a BBA degree in accounting in 1959. After graduation, Gary was hired by Humble Oil (now Exxon) and Gary and Glenda moved to Houston where he worked in the Humble accounting/computer department for 7 years. Next came a move with his family of three, Glenda and Pam and Dean, to Longview to work at Texas Eastman where he added 12 more years experience in accounting before the real estate bug bit him.
He worked as a part-time Realtor for approximately 10 years and began his career in 1978 as a full-time Realtor for Earl Harkins Real Estate. After working there for two years, Gary opened his own office, Gary Johnson Realty. He later purchased a national franchise, Century 21, expanding that office to become one of the largest successful offices in the East Texas Area. During the almost 20 years of this period, his office consistently received numerous local, regional, state, and international awards for its outstanding sales force, its dedication to quality service, and its commanding leadership position in the real estate industry particularly for the “incredibly high professional standard” that he and his staff exhibited as an “inspiration and challenge to other Realtors”. His office received the highest franchise award, “The Centurion” award presented by the International Franchise Organization, Century 21, in 1992 and 1993.
After selling his Century 21 office in 1997, Gary was a Broker Associate in the office of Joyce Flanagan, REALTOR. From 1998 to the end of 2017, Gary was a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker Lenhart Properties. Under his patient, calm mentoring, guidance, and leadership, he trained and assisted countless successful Realtors as they began their careers in real estate. Many of these proteges are still active, successful Realtors, some of whom have opened and continue to operate successful offices in the area today.
In addition to his commitment to real estate, Gary dedicated his life to maintaining a high level of standards and ethics for the real estate industry as an active member of the National Association of Realtors, the Texas Association of Realtors, and the Longview Board of Realtors, where he served on numerous committees, several time as Director, the last time being in 2005-2006; in a variety of officer positions, Secretary-Treasurer in 1983, President-Elect in 1985; and as President of the Longview Board of Realtors in 1986. He was actively involved in TREPAC activities and contributed to some of the greatest transitions in the real estate industry, particularly regarding the use of computers and the technology that moved real estate into the 21st century. He held numerous leadership positions, including the several times as President for the Century 21 franchise brokers organization, responsible at the time for 30 offices in the East Texas Region. In 2015, the Longview Area Association of Realtors honored Gary with selection to the Realtor Hall of Fame. This selection is not an annual award but is only given to those persons who reach the highest level of excellence.
Offering his leadership in community service, Gary served as President of the Board of Directors of Easter Seal Society of East Texas and as Chairman of the Easter Seal Society of East Texas and as Chairman of the Easter Seal Advisory Board in 1996. He served almost 30 years as a member and/or officer of the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club, receiving the coveted Paul Harris Fellowship in 1989-1990. He was a very active member of the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club, spending his time and efforts toward having a successful PRCA Rodeo which contributed to the quality of life in the City of Longview, Gregg County and throughout East Texas in support of various community and youth-oriented programs. Gary was actively involved and helped organize the Longview Executive Club, a lead exchange club that was instrumental in strengthening the foundations of many successful business and community leaders of today. As an effective community leader, he was selected in 1985 for participation in the Longview Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Course in Effective Training and Community Leadership. He was a part of the board for the first Longview Girls Softball Association and actively served in youth training at his church. Additionally, Gary was a volunteer with United Way and March of Dimes. In 1997-1998 he was a member of the President’s Advisory Council of LeTourneau University.
Family was a high priority for Gary. He was married to his childhood sweetheart, Glenda, for 64 years. Every member of his family has been a licensed Realtor, including his daughter, Pam, who is an attorney at Camterra Resources, Inc. in Marshall. Son, Dean Johnson, and Shari Johnson have been actively supportive and involved in Gary’s life’s goals. Gary’s high ethical standards for honesty, fairness, justice, and positive support are evident in all the lives he has touched, whether it be with his family, his co-workers, members of the community, or his clients. His quiet unassuming commitment to the high standards in the real estate industry in Texas, East Texas, and Longview continue to affect others’ lives even today. Gary’s greatest attribute was that he was totally committed to addressing the needs and concerns of others.
Those remaining to cherish the memories of Gary are his wife of 64 years, Glenda; daughter, Pam of Longview; Dean and Shari Johnson of Longview; aunt, Des Mitchell; numerous cousins and their families in Texas and Oklahoma; brother-in-law and wife, Larry and Sue Woodall of Washington state; brother-in-law and spouse, Darryl Woodall and Gary Bergner of Houston; nephews Doug Woodall and wife Heidi, and children Madi and Jake; nephew Jeff Woodall of Washington state; cousins Mary Margaret Lemley and family of Tyler; Betty Joyce Speir and husband, Wayne, cousins and family of Tyler; and Andy and Janet Elliott of Kilgore and family, plus distant special friends and loved ones.
Special thanks to all of the doctors and nurses at Longview Regional and Select Specialty Hospital for their care of Gary during this brief illness. Also special thanks to all of the wonderful caregivers at Highland Pines and Visiting Angels. And a big thank you to the members of the Henry Foster Sunday School Class and Pastor Jay Jackson at First United Methodist Church, Longview.
Services for Gary Johnson will be a private family service on Friday, September 3, at 10 a.m. under the direction of Rader Funeral Home, Longview, Texas at Rosewood Park in Longview.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers and other tokens of sympathy that memorials be made to
The Blanche Foshee Woodall Memorial Scholarship Fund at Kilgore College, sending any memorials to The Kilgore College Foundation Attention: Merlyn Holmes, Director of Development, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, Texas 75662.
Gary was dearly loved and will be forever in our hearts. His life is a lasting legacy of quiet faith and deep love for all those whose lives he touched.
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