FREDERICKTOWN – Roy Lee Johnson, 91, passed away peacefully early Saturday morning, Jan. 23, 2021, at the Laurels Nursing Home in Mount Vernon. He had been living at his home outside of Fredericktown until Dec. 13, 2020.
Lee was born in Flushing on Oct. 4, 1929, the son of Roy T. and Naomi (Croskey) Johnson. He grew up in Flushing on the family farm called Mill Brook as a third-generation Shorthorn cattle breeder. He and his wife, Frances K. Johnson, their six children and Lee’s parents moved from Flushing to their Fredericktown farm location in 1967.
Known as Lee or R. Lee, he was involved in farming and raising and selling Shorthorn cattle from Mill Brook Farm his entire life. During the 1970s and 1980s, Lee and his family showed cattle at many state fairs and national shows in Chicago, Kansas City, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Houston, Ft. Worth, Louisville, Denver, and even as far away as San Francisco. They exhibited several national champion bulls and females and were recognized as one of the top Shorthorn breeders in the country over those two decades. They also held cattle sales at their farm in Fredericktown during that time, drawing breeders from across the country and promoting the breed. Lee had been actively involved with the Shorthorn Association, acknowledged as a “builder of the breed” and having served as president of the Ohio chapter and a long-standing member at the national level. Besides cattle, he also liked draft horses and attending horse pulls in his later years.
Lee was an extremely hard worker and instilled a high-level work ethic in his children. He was very proud of his six children and the extended family that followed. He also loved the land and liked improving his farm and working with other farmers to help make improvements on their land with his equipment. Between work, he loved dancing and music and playing volleyball and basketball with his family at their farm. Lee was a big sports fan and especially enjoyed rooting for the Ohio State Buckeyes and professional teams from the state of Ohio, as well as the Boston Celtics.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Greg Fisher, their three children and seven grandchildren; his son, Ron and his three children and three grandchildren; his daughter and son-in-law, Chris and Tom McGuire and their three children and four grandchildren; daughters, Cindy Johnson and Francine Johnson; and son and daughter-in-law, Rob and Lisa Johnson and their two children.
Lee was preceded in death by his wife Frances; his parents; and his brother and sister.
A memorial service will be scheduled by the family at a later date in the year.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lee’s memory to the Shorthorn Foundation. The foundation provides youth scholarships, educational programs and research to improve performance of the Shorthorn breed. Donations can be sent to Shorthorn Foundation, 1800 Lovers Leap, Van Alstyne, TX 75495 (Tax ID: 36-6221032).
To view this obituary or leave the family a memory, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
The Snyder Funeral Home in Fredericktown is honored to serve the family of R. Lee Johnson.
