Bennett Johnson

Bennett Hall Johnson, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, May 24, 2002, at the Chateau Health Center. He moved from Nashville, Tenn., to reside at Chateau Girardeau in February 1998.

Johnson was born Oct. 30, 1916, in Nashville, son of William Roy and Bessie Aileen Hall Johnson. He was a graduate of Hume-Fogg High School in Nashville.

A veteran of World War II, Johnson was inducted into the U.S. Army Dec. 28, 1942 at Camp Forrest, Tenn. He served as Staff Sergeant in the 570th Army Postal Unit in North Africa Algeria; Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno in Italy; the Rhineland in Germany; and in France. Johnson received his honorable discharge Nov. 30, 1945, at Fort Knox, Ky.

Johnson was postal inspector in districts of New York City and Chattanooga. He was first employed by the Nashville Post Office in 1936. After the war in 1948, he was appointed as postal inspector and he retired from that position in 1971.

He and Louise Ridings Chamberlain were married June 15, 1972, in Nashville. He and his wife owned and operated a marketing research firm in Memphis for 15 years.

Survivors include his brother, Joseph R. Johnson of Gainesville, Va.; daughter-in-law, Janet Richeson Chamberlain of Cape Girardeau; granddaughter, Catherine Chamberlain Graber of Louisville, Ky.; grandson, William Creighton Chamberlain of New York City; great-grandson, Samuel Chamberlain Graber of Louisville; nephew, Barry R. Johnson and children Bennett and Daniel Johnson of St. Charles, Mo.; nephew, Dana C. Johnson and children, Ericia and Hannah Johnson of Herndon, Va.; niece, Maya C. Roll and children, Kelsey, Kayla and Alexandria Roll of Singapore; nephew, Sylvanos Wade Johnson Jr. of Hesperia, Calif.

Johnson was preceded in death by his wife in Nashville in 1997, and his stepson William James Chamberlain of Cape Girardeau in 1999.

Also preceding were three brothers, William Roy Johnson of San Diego, Sylvanos Wade Johnson of Long Beach, Calif., and Lockett Johnson of Nashville.

Graveside service and military rites will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 1, at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville. There will be no local visitation.

Pallbearers will be Barry R. Johnson, Samuel L. Graber, Bennett Johnson, William C. Chamberlain, William McCown and Dennis Wilson.

Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.