Johnnie Harold Trussell, 67, of Wall, SD, died August 3, 2017 at Regional Hospice House, Rapid City, SD.

Johnnie Harold Trussell was born on his parents' yacht in Southern California near Catalina Island. He grew up to love the ocean, nature, people and animals.
When he was fifteen, he accompanied his father, Col. Harold Trussell (U.S. Army), to Japan on a military/educational assignment and attended school there, later graduating from West Covina, Calif., High School. Johnnie and his brother, Robert, enjoyed spending summers at their grandmother's farm in Hannibal, Mo., where they chased mules, had Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn adventures and gobbled up her Southern cooking.
Johnnie's mother, Marie, was of Scottish ancestry tracing to several clans. He was very proud of this. Besides his brother, there were two sisters, Sharon and Sandy.
Johnnie was in Virginia making application to attend William and Mary College when the Vietnam conflict escalated and he returned home to enlist. He was trained in intelligence and as sergeant, became part of the Third Army's Light Armory Reconnais-sance Battalion.
In a fierce fire fight that lasted several days, Johnnie was captured by the enemy and spent thrrteen months as a Prison of War in a tiger cage., he received a head wound that took the sight from his left eye.
After he was discharged, Johnnie spent eightenn months in VA hospitals recovering from PTSD , he received a letter of commendation from President Richard Nixon.
Johnnie met the love of his life, Arlene, on a business flight from Los Angeles, Calif., to Detroit, Mich. They married and had three children.
Johnnie's world was shattered again when Arlene was killed in a collision with a semi truck. As a single parent, he raised the children to adulthood. The family moved to Arizona where Johnnie worked construction for Del Webb's Lake Havasu City project and, with his brother, operated a taxi franchise in Phoenix.
Johnnie traveled through the southern U.S., working at different jobs in Salt Lake City, Texas, Mississippi and Florida. At Bear Creek Ski Resort in Breckenridge, Colo., he worked for fifteen years in mid-level management and came to Rapid City, S.D., by closing his eyes and pointing his finger on a map.
Keystone, S.D., became home to Johnnie, he worked locally in many seasonal businesses, including food service. At the Rock Shed, he taught himself about rocks and fossils and became interested in that history. He was also employed by the Keystone Country Store, as site manager and cook for Keystone Senior Center, Big Thunder Gold Mine and the Keystone House Restaurant.
He was well-read in the Bible and Biblical times, Greek and Roman mythology, ancient medieval and Oriental cultures and science. He enjoyed Kung Fu and other marital arts and was a talented photographer.
In April 2017 Johnnie was diagnosed with multiple forms of aggressive and incurable cancers that he struggled valiantly to beat.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents and siblings.
Memorial services will be Friday, Aug. 25, at 3 p.m. at Keystone UCC Church. Lunch and fellowship will follow at Big Thunder Company Store.