Richard Johnson 9-12-24

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Richard Lee “Dickie” Johnson was born March 6, 1945, in Cape Girardeau, the son of William Lafayette “Lafe” and Edith Runnels Johnson, and passed away Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Saint Francis Medical Center at the age of 79.

In the mid ’60s, following the passing of his mother and father, Dickie was brought into the family of Claude “Nip” Kelley, his father’s friend, whom Lafe had asked to take care of his “special” son upon his passing. From that time, Dickie became part of Nip and Wanda’s family, being raised alongside his younger “brothers” Vince and Terrence. Dickie permanently moved into Terrence and his family’s home in 1999, and his new journey and family was at the Lutheran Home, where he resided the past two years.

There are so many Dickie stories over the years, too many to list. During the day, he was the on-site manager of the Nip Kelley shop, with a pocket full of ink pens ready to sign delivery tickets, until he would go missing after finding or collecting an extra dollar or two (and if you knew Dickie, you know what he did with his new found riches)! He certainly kept everyone on their toes with his whereabouts and what he was up to at any given moment. Bless your heart, all those who obliged him every time you heard, “You got a dollar?"

As his Kelley family grew, Dickie loved attending all the weddings and dancing with everyone, as he never wanted to miss an event or party. He loved seeing his nieces and nephews, and he holds a special place in all their hearts. Dickie especially loved celebrating his birthday, and in his younger years celebrated an extra birthday along with Vince and Terrence. Birthdays were a special time for Dickie.

Dickie loved his St. James AME Church family, and he never missed a Sunday at church and was very proud of his job as greeter and usher.

Dickie is survived by his Johnson family, sister, Lydia Kinder of Cleveland, and brother, William “Bill” Johnson of St. Louis. Also surviving are his Kelley family, Wanda Kelley-Kirkpatrick, Vince and Jan Kelley and Terrence and Kim Kelley, all of Cape Girardeau; as well as many nieces and nephews in the Johnson and Kelley families.

Dickie was preceded in death by his parents; eight siblings, Lillian Johnson, Mildred Wilson, Mary Lynch, Leonard Johnson, Barbara Stewart, Joan King, Larry Johnson and Magdalene Newman. He was also preceded in death by Nip Kelley.

Special thanks to his cousin, Charlotte and Terry Wade, for loving on Dickie; you held a special place in his heart. And to the Lutheran Home staff, you all became family to Dickie. He loved his time there, playing bingo, taking field trips, being Santa at Christmas and spending time at his table doing his favorite thing, coloring. He even played bingo his last afternoon on this earth.

Dickie was forever a child in a 79-year-old body, always with a smile and a “How you doin'?” May we all be more like Dickie, with a smile on our face and happiness in our hearts.

If you would like to make a donation in Dickie’s honor, he loved his church, St. James AME Church of Cape Girardeau, as well as the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 14, at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral service will follow at noon Saturday, Sept. 14, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Geneva Allen-Patterson officiating. Burial will be at Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.