I am heartbroken to announce the death of my father, Daniel G. Johnston 69, of Wathena, Kansas. He passed away peaceful at Mosaic Life Care on January 28, 2023, after he suffered a major stroke.
Danny was born on May 2, 1953, to Betty (White) and Walt Sonny McQueen. Danny was a proud graduate from Benton High School, class of 1973. He attended Highland Community College where he continued his love for football, he went on to study at Kansas State University.
In his professional life he started as a hod carrier in the laborers union. He then jumped to the carpenters union where he was a superintendent for numerous large general contracting firms in the surrounding area. Everywhere you look, from the hospital in St. Joseph, Missouri to Fort Riley, Kansas, Danny touched, supervised, fixed, and PERFECTED. In his hometown of Wathena, he was the construction superintendent of the Hoover-Bauer Masonic Lodge. His talents didn’t end with professional construction, they carried over to numerous personal projects with family and friends.
Danny had a true gift working with his hands. We are blessed and fortunate to have learned so many valuable lessons and ways to fix EVERYTHING. He shared his wisdom and construction tips with us over the years. Danny’s green thumb could not be matched. He had one of the most impressive victory gardens and it could feed the entire town. He could build anything anyone asked him to build, and he did. It was always the most beautiful piece. He lived a modest and beautiful life, full of good PASTEboard boxes, shopping bags, screws, and empty Folgers cans. He loved fishing and spending all his money on milk bone dog biscuits, for dogs he didn’t own. He bought the expensive, good candy for neighbor kids. If you didn’t go to his house on Halloween, you missed out on the armfuls of treats given to each kid.
Danny was also a very good cook and hosted many dinners for friends. He made jalapeno jelly, hundreds of pounds of bread pudding that he would donate, and “mostly” good wine. Danny made gravy every year for the fall festival and some award winning pies. Coffee, breakfast, dinner, and a few good drinks were always significant in Danny’s shop. The regulars always questioned if his coffee was violated.
He was kind to everyone, Danny did not know a stranger, and if he did, they were not strangers for long. He could make you laugh or smile with just a mischievous look in his eye. Danny performed many acts of kindness in his short life. His love for his family and friends were endless. His grandchildren were the light of his life. Danny always showed up for family and friends and he would be there even when he didn’t know you needed him.
Danny had a lifelong affair with his bib overalls and took fashion cues from no one. His overalls were fastened with a hair tie or what he referred to as bib extenders. His duct tape wallet sported his union, and I voted stickers. He secured his glasses with carpenter’s string line. He had the Stanley thermos before they were even cool, but his was special, his had stickers that covered the entire cup, including the sticker he received when his first grandkids were born four years ago.
Danny was humble and if he were here today, he would be so mad at this much-deserved attention. His friends and family miss him terribly and don’t know what they are going to do without him. They will miss seeing him cruising in his white truck and calling him for advice.
Danny was preceded in death by his mother, Betty McQueen, and his son Colin Johnston, whom he has missed dearly for many years. He is survived by his father Walt Sonny McQueen; his daughter Chelse (Shawn Rader) Johnston; grandchildren Hudson and Hallie Rader; brothers Johnny, Jerry, and Kenny (Barb) Johnston; many nieces and nephews; and a ton of friends.
This world lost one of the greatest men God ever created. Danny is reunited with his son Colin, his mother Betty and many of his greatest friends he has lost along the way. We know reuniting with all of them was a joyful occasion.
The family will gather with friends and family from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at the Harman-Rohde Funeral Home, Wathena, Kansas. Memorial Service at 11:00 A.M. Friday, February 3, 2023, at the United Methodist Church in Wathena. Danny’s wishes were to be cremated. Inurnment at a later date.