4/30/2024 0 Comments In loving memory forrest pictureForrie continued to play drums into his upper 90s with the Johnson family band, and could often be found in his garage, drumming to big band music on the public radio station. A man of many talents, Forrie was a drummer with Paul’s Vets, a band composed of G.I.s who played big band and swing music in the Marquette area during the early 1940s. bill, where he ultimately earned bachelor’s degrees in English and Biology. After the war, he attended Northern Michigan University on the G.I. He was a hero in every sense of the word, yet fully realized the grim cost of war. Forrie was a decorated veteran, having served in the Navy in WWII. He vividly recalled the lean years of the Great Depression, which undoubtedly contributed to his appreciation for the many future opportunities and blessings throughout his life. Drawn to adventure, he was a skilled ski jumper and earned a Junior Golden Gloves boxing title in his youth. The ripple effect of his kindness continues to be felt by his family, friends, colleagues, and decades of English and Journalism students who loved him so dearly they still call him “Papa J” to this day.įorrie was born in Kingsford, Michigan, in 1925, to Frithiof and Margaret Johnson. In the hours before he passed, he said, “I’ve had a great life.” In almost 99 years of living, he left an extraordinary amount of love in his wake. Forrie lived life to the fullest, right up until his final days. Forrest (Forrie) Johnson, age 98, passed away peacefully, with family by his side, on January 17, 2024, following a brief illness.
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