Robert “Bob” James Johnson
, 71, formerly of Hill City, passed away on
May 20, 2021, at the State Veterans Home in Hot Springs, SD.
The first son of Carl and Pearl (Bieber) Johnson was born in
Rapid City, spending his younger years in Rapid City,
McLaughlin, and Hill City, SD. After graduating from Hill
City High School, his U.S. Navy tour aboard the carrier USS
Independence 5th Fleet, took him to Athens, Greece in the
Mediterranean and the Middle East.
His work led him down the paths of homebuilding,
roadbuilding, and the oil fields of Wyoming/Montana. Later,
he worked for OSHA in Wyoming.
With the completion of his BS degree in geological
engineering at SDSM&T in 1981, he went to work for ODECO
(Ocean Drilling and Exploration Company) in New Orleans. He
worked offshore in the Gulf of Mexico on deep-water drilling
platforms generally known as “floaters”. Bob rose to the
title of what is known in the industry as “The Company Man”;
the one who is on-site and responsible for all operations,
including the lives that are at risk and hundreds of
millions of dollars in equipment, etc.
During Hurricane Juan in 1985, he survived a disaster at
sea. Afterwards, he testified in congressional hearings
resulting in much more stringent regulations regarding
evacuating rigs in the Gulf. His testimony resulted in him
being blackballed from the industry; yet has likely saved
lives.
In 2005 Hurricane Katrina destroyed their family home
forcing them to make a drastic change in their lives.
His first marriage to Vivian Bryan blessed him with his
“little princess” Kiffaney. He later married Donna Bianchini
and was again blessed with two beautiful children, “Haley
Girl” and Ian “my little boy”. He was very proud of and
loved his children with his entire heart. They were his #1
priority!
Bob’s eyes would twinkle when spending time with children.
He loved joking, playing games such as 21 questions, punch
buggy, and Pictionary. He always had something up his
sleeve! He loved hitting the water parks and Disney World
(what about those teacups, Epcot Center, and Pirates of the
Caribbean, Bob!!). Bob loved watching his kids’ games and
was the best cheerleader ever. Oh yes, and he LOVED his
“popcorn soup” (was that 2% popcorn and 98% butter, Bob?)
and a good movie!
He was a remarkable woodworker and had a sincere love for
music, whistling while he worked. One of his favorite songs
was "How Far Is Heaven" by the Los Lonely Boys and memories
of him singing “You Are My Sunshine” still linger. He loved
Star Trek and space, sharing many nights looking up at the
constellations with his kids at Grandma’s house. And
then…there were the competitions to find the satellites! How
‘bout the big and little dipper?
Bob was intelligent, caring, intuitive and known for
speaking the truth and was not one to back down when
standing up for what is right. This was reflected in his
jobs and his personal life. Bob enjoyed sharing his
knowledge with others, encouraging them with “You can do
whatever you put your mind to,” and one of Robert’s favorite
rules was “work smarter, not harder.
If you really took the time to know Bob, you knew he was
someone special. He was one of a kind with a peaceful
presence and a humble heart of gold, always willing to lend
a hand. Leading by example, he was the first to boldly put
his life on hold to care for his mother Pearl when she first
needed care at home.
He would tell his children, “If you’re scared or nervous…
pray… specifically, the Lord’s Prayer”. An inquisitive soul,
but said, “All the questions about life don’t matter - the
only thing that matters is Jesus”.
He is survived by his daughters, Kiffaney (Tyrone) Johnson
of Roanoke, VA, and her mother, Vivian, and Haley Johnson of
Kyle, TX; son, Ian (Sierra) Johnson of Kyle, TX, and their
mother, Donna; Bob’s mother, Pearl Johnson Barrett of Rapid
City, SD; siblings, Greg (Deanna) Johnson of Rapid City, SD,
Mary Johnson of Hill City, SD, Carol Linder of Sioux Falls,
SD, Barb (Ron) LaFever of Milwaukee, WI, and David Johnson
of Rapid City, SD; and grandchildren, DiAnna, Keith, Robert,
and Liam; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his father, Carl F. Johnson.
Wake service will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on
Wednesday, May 26, 2021, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in
Sturgis with a rosary to begin at 4:30 p.m.
A celebration of Bob’s life will be held at St. Francis of
Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis, SD, on Thursday, May 27,
2021, with visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and a
funeral mass directly following at 10:00 a.m. Burial will
follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
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