Marty Johnson was passionate about everything he did, his family says.
“Whether it was real estate, music, cooking, whatever, it started with passion,” said his son, Scott Johnson, 57. “And he did everything he could to spread that around as much as possible.”
Mr. Johnson died Oct. 11 after battling cancer. He was 84.
He was a longtime educator, directing choirs at Festus, Fox and Crystal City schools, as well as Grace Presbyterian Church in Crystal City. Later, he was a real estate trainer.
Mr. Johnson grew up in Indiana and played the drums from a young age, attending Murray State University in Kentucky on a scholarship.
He was married briefly to Sally Aubuchon (now Sally Herman of Branson) and had two children before divorcing in the mid-1970s. He met Marilyn Penner in 1978 while both were singing in a local community chorus, and they were married that summer.
Mr. Johnson’s first job was teaching choir and directing beginning band at Festus. Later, he worked as a choir director for the Fox C-6 School District for 18 years, and was inducted into the Fox High School Hall of Fame.
Busy as he was, he always found time to spend with family, his children said.
“We did a lot of fun, kid-type stuff outside of school,” Scott said. “Amusement parks, zoos, Cardinals baseball games.”
Daughter Lynette Musgrave, 54, recalls spending time in her father’s classroom.
“We’d go to my dad’s room before school and hang out until it was time for us to go up to the elementary school,” she said. “Dad had a vending machine that dispensed soup and hot chocolate, and we looked forward to that every morning.”
She said her father was fun to hang out with but was no pushover.
“He expected you to toe the line, be respectful, behave properly,” Lynette said. “Once you knew what his expectations were, all it took was a look of displeasure and you knew you’d better straighten up.”
After leaving the Fox district, Mr. Johnson was involved in real estate as a realtor and then a trainer.
“Then when they needed a director at Crystal City, he went there for a couple of years before retiring for good,” Marilyn said.
Mr. Johnson was famous for embracing his inner comedian.
“He has always been the goofball that everybody knows and loves,” Lynette said. “Dad would take every opportunity to make Scott and me laugh.”
She said the family dressed up and dined out at upscale restaurants on holidays and special occasions.
“One time, we’re all decked out, and Dad ordered escargot. When it came, he made noises every time he poked one of the snails like it was talking; then he pretended it got away and he chased it under the table. We all were laughing so hard at him.”
Scott recalls similar instances.
“He was not shy about being silly, exposing himself to the humorous side of life,” he said. “His sense of humor was really witty, very biting, almost ornery.”
When his grandchildren came along, Mr. Johnson had a fresh audience.
“They’d do puzzles, and he’d act like he had no idea how they worked,” Marilyn said. “I’ve got pictures of him and the kids laughing their heads off. They called him Silly Grandpa.”
Behind the silliness, though, was a deep faith and desire to lift up others.
“So many people at his celebration of life said he taught more than music,” Marilyn said. “They said, ‘I didn’t want to sing a solo, but he gave me the confidence to do it.’
Prayer was an important part of Mr. Johnson’s life.
“He had a list he prayed over every day,” Lynette said. “He got up every day at 4 in the morning to study the Bible. Then he’d pull out his list and pray for every person by name. We never ended a call or visit without him praying over us. He was very much a man of faith and instilled it in us.”
Mr. Johnson was diagnosed with cancer in early 2023. He fought hard but eventually lost his battle in the hospital, surrounded by family members, his family said.
“We all thought he’d live forever,” Lynette said. “He was always such a powerhouse. He went full speed at everything.”
His children had a revelation while preparing photos for Mr. Johnson’s memorial service.
“He did not enjoy having his photo taken. Posed family pictures were the worst possible scenario for him,” Scott said. “But when we looked back at pictures, he was smiling in everything he was doing. This was a man who was clearly happy through his life.”
They also found hundreds of letters to Mr. Johnson from former students, dating back to the 1960s.
“They wrote from college, from the military, after they began their own teaching careers,” Lynette said. “They said, ‘You kept me out of jail’ and ‘I would have dropped out if not for you.’
“And not just one; there were tons like that.”
Lynette said her dad appreciated the awards and acclaim he received, but that wasn’t what was most important to him.
“His faith, his family, what he gave to people – I think those were the only things that truly mattered,” she said. “I’m just so grateful to have all the memories I have. Grateful he was able to impact so many people in his lifetime.
“He had no idea of the reach of his legacy.”
“Life Story,” posted Saturdays on Leader Publications’ website, focuses on one individual’s impact on his or her community.