Forrest H. Johnson

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     Forrest Harold Johnson was born to Clarence and Clara (Fischer) Johnson on May 18, 1933, in Dunlap, Iowa. He grew up on farms outside of Dunlap and Woodbine, with his older brother Oscar, and younger brother Neubert. He walked to Willow No. 5 country school for his elementary lessons, then graduated from Woodbine High School in 1950. After graduation, Forrest travelled to California, working and staying with relatives for a short time, before returning for a job with Blue Line Trucking in south Omaha where he navigated all the backstreets and alleys to make deliveries. He continued dating his high school sweetheart, Waunita Gorrell, and on November 15, 1952, they married at the United Methodist Church in Woodbine. He was drafted in 1954, and after basic training in Fort Riley, Kansas they moved to El Paso, Texas where Forrest was stationed at Fort Bliss. While in the Army he reached the rank of corporal and was an instructor in Early Warning Systems. In 1956, they made the decision to return to Iowa and purchased the Merritt Barry farm west of Woodbine, where they raised their 3 daughters, Tamera, Renee and Crystal. He farmed before big machinery and corporate agriculture dominated the scene, raising cows, pigs, soybeans, corn, hay, oats, and kids. When the First National Bank of Woodbine closed its doors in 1985 during the farm crisis, Forrest and Waunita stopped farming. Waunita went to work in Omaha, and eventually Forrest got a job at Tommy Gate in Woodbine, working there for 13 years, making many friends and fond memories, until he retired in 1998. After retirement, he and Waunita were able to travel to many places across the United States and continued dedicating time to their church and the Woodbine community.

     Forrest loved growing things and fixing things and giving things away. He enjoyed hosting New Year’s Eve when the kids were growing up, playing pinochle and pitch at “card club”, eating out on Saturday nights at the Slipper, or elsewhere for a special event. He was a founding member of the Noteables and performed with them until 2025. He “emceed” Sing-A-Long at Rose Vista every Tuesday afternoon for several years before the pandemic put an end to it. At holiday time, he gifted premium cranberries from a local farm in Wisconsin to friends and neighbors. He gathered wildflowers and bittersweet from the timber for Waunita, and loved to hunt (and eat) mushrooms. He enjoyed home cooking, watching the wildlife pass by his country home, and driving his red car until he could no longer do so.

     After Waunita’s passing, he continued to make each day his best, persevered through pain, and remained cheerful in almost all weathers, staying true to the Golden Rule: treat others as you would have them treat you. He will be remembered as a hard worker, devoted son, husband, and father, and as a generous human being to friends and strangers alike. He was able to spend all but the last two weeks of his life at the farm, thanks to loving care from many, but especially from his daughter Tamera.

     Forrest passed away the evening of November 15, 2025, at the age of 92 years, five months, and 28 days.

     Forrest was preceded in death by his wife Waunita (June 2022), his parents, and his brothers. He is survived by his daughters: Tamera Harris (Howard) of Las Vegas, Nevada, Renee Johnson (Mark Sant) of Silver Star, Montana, and Crystal Johnson of Woodbine, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families. 

     Memorials to honor Forrest are preferred to the Woodbine United Methodist Church or the Woodbine Weiss American Legion Post #143.