Phillip Ray Johnson

Phillip Ray Johnson, age 57, of Grand Prairie, Texas, formerly of Lexington, Kentucky, and originally of Tuscarawas, died early Monday morning, December 11, 2006 at Arlington, Texas . Born at Dover, October 26, 1949, Philip was a son of Les Johnson and the late Sylvia Dawson Johnson, and brother to the late Thomas Johnson all of Tuscarawas. Phillip was active in the Boy Scouts of America both as a young man and throughout his life. Mr. Johnson was a member of the last graduating class from Tuscarawas High School Â? before it consolidated as part of the Indian Valley School System. Mr. Johnson was an alumnus of Midway College at Midway, Kentucky, where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Human Resources.Following high school, Mr. Johnson began a career in television at TV-17 in Lewisville, and later TV-5 in Cleveland. In 1978, he left broadcasting for a career in telecommunications with GTE, and for the next twenty-three years served primarily as an Environmental Health and Safety Manager in Ohio, Kentucky and Texas. During his time in Kentucky, Mr. Johnson was an active member of the World Safety Organization, and the Kentucky Governors Safety Council. He served on the board of the Kentucky Governors Safety Council for 7 years, and was elected President of the Council in 2000. After 23 years of service, Mr. Johnson retired from Verizon Communications in 2002. At the time of his death, Mr. Johnson was employed as Environmental Health & Safety Manager with L- 3 Communications in Arlington, Texas, where he was recently awarded one of the company’s highest awards for excellence in service. Following his marriage to the former Patricia Space on March 1, 1975, Mr. Johnson was deeply involved in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Throughout his life, Mr. Johnson served his church in various leadership capacities and while living in Lexington, Kentucky, was a member of St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church at San Angelo, Texas. Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife Patricia, and in-laws, Mary and Patrolas (Pete) Space, all of Grand Prairie, Texas. He also leaves behind his father, Les Johnson and Les’ wife Ellen, both of Tuscarawas. His two sons, both of whom he was very proud, also survive Mr. Johnson. Elder son Thomas and his wife Kera Ackerman, reside at Lexington, Kentucky with their two daughters Anna Kate and Claire, where Thomas is a meteorologist for television station WLEX. Younger son Phillip R. Johnson II is completing his Ph.D. in Archeology at Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas. Friends are invited to call Friday, December 15, 2006 in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia from 2PM-4PM and from 6PM Â? 8PM. Father Tom Galloway will lead the Johnson funeral service Saturday morning, at 10:30 AM in the funeral home’s chapel. Burial will follow in Sharon Moravian Church Cemetery at Tuscarawas. Following the committal service, family and friends will gather for a reception in the Geib Funeral Center, 5600 North Wooster Avenue , Dover . The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 1101 Kenwood Drive, San Angelo , Texas , 76903 , or to the St. Andrews Orthodox Church, 1136 Higbee Mill Road , Lexington , Kentucky , 40503 .