Jerome Edward “Jerry” Johnson, 83, passed Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, after several years of struggling with dementia.

Jerry was born June 6, 1936, in Austin, Minnesota, at Saint Olaf Hospital, the first son of Alfred and Genevieve Johnson. Jerry graduated from Austin High School and was a member of the championship baseball team. Jerry spent three years in the U.S. Navy and graduated from California State University in Los Angeles. He was an officer working for the California Highway Patrol for 30 years, retiring to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1998.

Jerry was an avid sportsman, a serious book collector, a dog lover specializing in Boston terriers, and an attentive grandparent. Until the time of Jerry’s illness, he was active in the Baptist Church Las Vegas and participated in his and Gloria’s exercise group. Jerry enjoyed fishing for Muskies at the family cabin in Canada. Jerry will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Gloria; his son Jeffrey, and his wife, Flora; his stepson, Michael, and his wife, Inez, and three grandsons, Michael, Joshua, and Marcus; two brothers, Terry in Portland, Oregon, and Brian and wife, Sally, in Duluth, Minnesota.

A celebration of life service was conducted at the Desert Hills Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019.