Keith Herbert Johnson

Keith Herbert Johnson, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away on December 18, 2025 at the age of 86 at home surrounded by his family. He was born on March 17, 1939, in Cadillac, Michigan, to Herbert and Ruth (Gregg) Johnson. In his youth, he worked for the family businesses, Johnny's Restaurant and Johnny's Wild Game and Fish Park and Christmas tree farm. Keith graduated from Cadillac High School in 1957, where he lettered in both football and skiing. He attended Michigan State University before enlisting in the Army in 1958, where he served as a photographer with the Third Army based in Fort Gordon, Georgia. He photographed President and Mrs. Eisenhower getting off the presidential plane, the Columbine, a photo which would later form the basis for his most often repeated dad joke about shooting the President. After his military tour, he returned to Michigan State University and earned his degree in marketing. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Michigan State Ski Team, and was a photographer for the Michigan State News. After graduation, he was employed with Procter and Gamble in Grand Rapids, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He and his wife, Leanna, were married in the St. Andrews Lutheran Church in South Lake Tahoe, California, on February 8, 1967. Keith and Leanna first lived in Manhattan Beach before moving to Lakewood, California. Keith took a position with Charles Merrill Publishing Company as sales manager and they moved to Boulder, Colorado, where they lived for ten years and their two children, Michael and Marci, were born. In 1978 they moved to Keith's hometown of Cadillac. He succeeded in several business pursuits throughout life, most recently as broker/owner of Johnson and Associates Real Estate, which played a key role in facilitating business development and home buying in the Cadillac area. Keith was an amateur outfitter who organized backpacking trips and hunting camps in the Flat Tops and West Elk Wilderness areas of Colorado. He took his family and friends on several horse-packing trips. He was part of continuing his father's Hobart deer hunting camp penned the Michigan Association of Swedish Hunters 4077th, which just completed its 91st season. He was adept at a wide variety of matters, including computers, carpentry, mechanical, business, and finance, and was quick to help friends and family with such needs. He skied like Stein Eriksen, was an avid reader, researched his Swedish roots, and enjoyed his travels to Tahoe, Yellowstone, Europe, and the Arctic. Keith valued service and community. He served as President of the Cadillac Rotary and led the development of the Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion, restoration of the Shay Locomotive, Elizabeth's Mountain in the Sound Garden, and once flew his Cessna 182 to Alaska as a fundraiser. His volunteer pursuits ranged from teaching CMS students how to program computers in the 1980's to building dog houses with his daughter's nonprofit in northwest Alaska. He is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Leanna, his children Michael (Kelly) and Marci, his grandsons Jack and Rex, his sister Linda (Clayton) Mikowski, sister-in-law Barbara Jo Johnson, sister-in-law Diana (Rodger) Delk, nieces and nephews Brian, Mark, Julia, Tracy, Dave, Rob, Rodger, Jeff, Gina, Richie and Lori. He was preceded in death by his parents, his grandchildren Elizabeth and William, his brother Lynn, and parents-in-law Gordon and Dorothy Grimm. Keith will be deeply missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, and special friends. A memorial service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Cadillac, where he was a lifelong member, on Friday, January 2, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.with visitation at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider extending an act of kindness to others and supporting your local animal shelter. An online guestbook is available at www.petersonfh.com.

Keith Herbert Johnson

March 17, 1939 - December 18, 2025