Commander Earl D. Johnson

Commander Earl D. Johnson, Sr., 90, of Harkers Island, passed away Thursday, May 17­, 2018 at Carteret Health Care.

His funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Harkers Island, officiated by Bishop B.L. Marcom. Interment, with military honors, will follow at Vergie Mae Cemetery.

CDR Johnson married his wife, Betty, on June 21, 1976 (the longest day of the year) hoping the day of the year would be a long loving marriage (which it was). He enlisted at age 17, sent home, because he was too young, joined the Army, January 3rd, 1946 at age 18. He stayed in 20 months and 16 days at St. McCall and Anisten, Alabama. He came back to Harkers Island, and he worked at Cherry Point as a Machinist for four years.

He then joined the Coast Guard Reserves in Wilmington, NC and after one year he changed over to the Coast Guard with a specialty in engineering. He worked on seven ships, and received two National Defense Medals, Good Conduct Award, two Award for Service medals, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. He retired as a full Commander in 1978 and returned to Harkers Island to care for his aging father. In the spring of 1980, he worked with NASA as Asst. Chief Engineer, retrieving the booster rockets of space shuttles off the shores of Cape Canaveral, FL. He was engineer in two sea-going dredges, and on ferries in Virginia and North Carolina.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Deen Johnson, of the home; sons, Earl Douglas Johnson, Jr. and wife Teresa Johnson of Rocky Mount, Billy Chilton and wife Amy of Straits; daughter, Donna Brooks and husband, Bentley of Harkers Island; grandsons, Jordan Lewis and wife Reba of Gloucester, Charlie Brooks of Raleigh, Matthew Chilton of Straits, Kyle Chilton of Straits; granddaughter, Johnna Brooks of Harkers Island; and sister-in-law, Donna Johnson of Harkers Island.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Gina Johnson Lewis, his parents, Earl and Pauline Johnson, and two brothers, Robert Roland Johnson (infant) and Niles Blaine Johnson.

Family will receive friends 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Alzheimer’s Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.