Terry Wayne Johnson, 83, formerly of West Burlington, died Feb. 15, 2024 at Mechanicsville Specialty Care.
Born March 24, 1940, in Quincy, Ill. on Easter Sunday. He was the son of Wayne P. & Christine M. Hess Frese Johnson.
Terry graduated from Quincy High School where he was active in band playing the trumpet, wrestling and excelled in math. After graduating he attended University of Illinois in engineering.
Terry met the love of his life Mary Jo Rice and were married June 4, 1961, in Quincy, Ill. In 1963 he was drafted into a two-year Army term. After basic training he became a radio teletype operator and was sent to Korea but spent most of the time driving for a high-ranking officer. Terry worked for Wareco Gas Station in Quincy, Ill. and then was transferred to the Wareco station in Burlington. He was a CB & Ham radio operator. In the 1970s Terry went to work for Standard of Beaverdale and was promoted one year later to manager of a new lumber yard and then to Chief Executive Officer of the company supervising seven lumber yards. Terry and Mary Jo were owners of Iris Realty Company for many years retiring after 30 years.
In the seventies Terry and Mary Jo became interested in Ballroom Dancing and drove to Davenport every Friday evening for many years taking lessons. They danced as a couple in the tri-state area and many considered them as top-notch dancers. They started teaching lessons to others at one time in Mount Pleasant. He is still on the Board of Directors of the Burlington Cotillion Dance Club.
Terry was a member of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, serving as the executive committee, Vice President and member chair. He was also involved with the Kiwanis Club where he was secretary for 15 years.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Jo; daughter Valerie (Curtis) Bassett of Palo, Iowa; grandsons, Colton Wayne (Kelsey) Carriger of Allison, Iowa & Travis Robert (Kallie) Carriger of Cedar Rapids; and great-grandson Carson Carriger.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial Service for Terry will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2024 at Lunning Chapel with Rev. Shane McCampbell officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the Burlington Area Veterans Honor Guard. Inurnment will be at Aspen Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for DMC Community Foundation Margaret Hansen Impact Fund.