Born: Jan. 9, 1933, in New London, Arkansas

Died: September 24, 2026, Lake Jackson, Texas

The paperboy has thrown his last route;

The sailor has served his last watch;

The pressman has inked his last plate;

The photographer has recorded his last scene;

The carpenter has nailed his last door and installed his last lock;

The gardener has harvested his last crop for the season and treasured his daylilies and amaryllis bulbs for the last time on Earth.

How do you measure the length and quality of a man's life: By achievement; by family and friends; by a rare wit?

Perhaps it's when you know it's time to go Home.

George Wallace Johnson left this Earth following his father and mother; his beloved four brothers and two sisters; his adored daughter, Rebecca; and his cherished wife of 70 years, Helen.

Left to honor his memory are his two daughters: Margaret (Orren) Gaspard and Laura (Glenn) Schiller and many cousins, nieces and nephews and sister-in-law, Pauline Johnson.

George Wallace Johnson held many names: Red, Wally, George. And depending on what you called him revealed how you knew him.

The son of Aylmer Rozell “Bo" and Ruby McKinnon Johnson, Red grew up in El Dorado, Arkansas. Times were hard and he began throwing a paper route when he was 11 years old. From there he worked in the press room at the El Dorado Times. He joined the Navy in 1950 after graduating from El Dorado High School. He spent four wonderful years sailing on board the USS Pittsburgh and then the USS New Jersey. He was proud of his service and grateful to have toured the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Later in his life he served in the Air Force Reserve.

He and Helen were married on June 25, 1954, and moved to Freeport in 1956 to work at Dow Chemical in the Magnesium Department. After a short time there, he spent the rest of his work career at The Brazosport Facts eventually serving as the Composing Room Foreman. Red was instrumental in bringing computerization to the newspaper production process.

After retiring from The Facts he spent many years with Volunteer Christian Builders and Habitat for Humanity. He describes those years: I had the privilege of working with the best group of people I've ever been associated with.

He and Helen served at the Texas Baptist Encampment in Palacios. There he was instrumental in constructing over 200 bunks for the encampment. He and Helen were also behind the restoration of the Falk House, a historic mansion on the Bay in Palacios.

He and friends Harold Wood, not only worked for the Texas Port Ministries and Habitat but also traveled to Antigua and helped build a youth center there.

And with friends Roger Haight and Ralph O’Henly, helped construct the “bird houses" representing the spires of Warwick Castle now a part of the Elizabethan Madrigal Feast at The Center for Arts and Sciences.

He and Helen spent many years travelling with friends and family throughout the United States.

Helen and Wally were proud to have restored two mid-century modern homes on Oyster Creek Drive in Lake Jackson winning an award from Houston MOD in recognition of their work.

If there is one fun fact he would love for you to know: He was a redhead. Like his mother, Ruby.

Services will be held Monday, October 5, 2026, at First Baptist Lake Jackson with Blaine St. Germaine officiating. Family Visitation will be held at 10:00 continuing at 11:00 for friends. The service will follow at 11:30.

A reception will be held in the Family Life Center following the Service.

A private burial will follow at Restwood Memorial Park in Clute, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, consider donating in his memory to:

First Baptist Church Lake Jackson

401 Yaupon Street

Lake Jackson, TX 77566

Or:

Rebecca Johnson Memorial WISE Scholarship

Brazosport College Foundation

500 College Drive Box #155

Lake Jackson, TX 77566

www.brazosport.edu/give

Or:

Habitat for Humanity

12 Circle Way

Lake Jackson, TX 77566

https://www.habitatbuild.org/donate

Or:

Any charity of your choice.

Thank you to our wonderful team of caregivers who have walked with us through this season. We would like to especially thank Veronica McMullin for her steadfast love and tenacious determination to do what was best for Wally. And thank you to Courtney Herbert and Ni’Asia White who were with us at the last.

Thank you to the wonderful staff of IPH Hospice. As with Helen, you were our steady help and advisors through this time.

And special gratitude to the staff at Carriage Inn. You have been with us from the very beginning of Mom and Dad's last journey. We love you and thank God for your wise counsel and support.

And to the friends who have visited and called: You brightened his life.

Where would we be without all of you?

And last, but certainly not least: to our Heavenly Father. Thank you.

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