Lyle W. Johnson, 85, Sturgis, died Sunday, November 9, 2008, at Sturgis Regional Hospital.

Committal services will be held on Friday, November 14, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at Black Hills National Cemetery with Rev. Denzel Nonhof officiating. Military honors will be provided by the Sturgis Veteran's Honor Guard. Family and friends may gather at Kinkade Funeral Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery.

Lyle was born May 11, 1923, at Snoma, SD, to Walter G. & Byrdie O. Johnson. He grew up in the Vale area and graduated from Vale High School in 1942. He joined the Merchant Marines attending the MM Academy in Kings Point, Long Island, New York. After a tour at sea, he joined the army and became a paratrooper with the 503rd Paratroop Infantry with action in the Pacific with combat jumps in New Guinea and on Corregidor. He joined the 11th Airborne in the occupation of Japan and was honorably discharged in January 1946. He married Dorothy Jane Buchanan in August 1947 in Montevideo, MN, and together they had 2 sons and 1 daughter. He owned a service station in Sturgis until April 1953 at which time he opened a large volume service station in Rapid City which was, in 1960, incorporated into Eddies Tire & Glass. While in Rapid City, he joined a group that brought Little League to the Black Hills. He was instrumental in establishing the Westminster Presbyterian Church and served as an elder. In 1961, he entered the insurance field and became a general agent. In 1969, he built and operated a restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA, he had a Ford dealership in Columbia City, IN, and built a 110 unit mobile home park in Kendallville, IN. In 1976, he sold the mobile home park and semi-retired to Montevideo, MN, to pursue his interest in golf and fishing. In October 1995, he and Dorothy returned to Sturgis. Lyle was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge in Sturgis, a 50 year member of the consistory, a 55 year and life member of the Elks Lodge, a 50 year member of the Naja Shrine and life contributing member of the Childrens Hospital. After moving back to Sturgis, he became a member of the Kiwanis Club and was instrumental in establishing and managing the Kiwanis Food Pantry.

Suvivors include two sons, Will Johnson and wife, Theresa, of Rock Springs, WY, and Steve Johnson and wife, Debi, of Plymouth, MI; a daughter, Jo Anne Lee of Huntington Beach, CA; one sister, Veora Baldwin and husband, Herb, of Sturgis and Yuma, AZ. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; 2 brothers; 2 sisters; and his mother and father.