Published: May 03, 2008 11:41 pm         

Dale W. Johnson [Keyser]

Dale W. Johnson, 88, formerly of Keyser, died Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the Dawn View Center in Fort Ashby, where he had been a resident for the past three years.

Born Dec. 13, 1919 in Keyser, he was a son of the late Edmond and Etta (Britton) Johnson. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Helen (Matthews) Johnson in 2000; and his sister Dena Gank.

Mr. Johnson was a graduate of Keyser High School and various trade schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky and attended West Virginia Institute of Technology. An U.S. Army veteran of World War II, Dale trained for detached service in both armored division and armored cavalry. He was also assigned to Support Services and spent 30 months in New Guinea and the Philippines.

After the war, Dale worked for the Goodrich Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio and later for the Celanese Corporation plant near Cumberland. There he met Helen Matthews of Lonaconing and they were married in the spring of 1948. Dale also worked at Minnich’s Flower Shop and Stewart’s Hardware installing appliances before going into business for himself as a plumbing and heating contactor.

During 1979 and 1980’s, Dale was a Building Trades Teacher at the Mineral County Vocational Technical Center in Keyser. He taught basic plumbing skills, carpentry, masonry and how to work with electrical wiring and sheet metal.

Surviving are his daughter, Donna L. Kenney and husband Ronald of Fort Ashby; his three grandchildren, Jennifer D. Hollander and husband Dan, Sandra Arnold and husband Jason and Melinda Glenn and husband Lenny; and his two great-grandsons, Dean Arnold and Conrad Hollander.

Per request, there was no visitation.

Funeral services were conducted Friday, May 2, 2008 at the Markwood Funeral Home in Keyser.

Interment was in Potomac Memorial Gardens, Keyser.

The family requests that memorials take the form of contributions to Dawn View Center, P.O. Box 686, Fort Ashby Drive, Fort Ashby, WV 26719

Condolences may be sent to the family at markwoodfuneralhome.com.