Horace Johnson

On Saturday, May 25, 2024 Horace Leo Johnson of Fort Washington, Maryland passed away at the age of 92. Horace was born April 3, 1932 in Waldorf, Maryland. He was the son of the late Walter Melvin Johnson and Jenny Thelma Trotter Johnson. He graduated from Lackey High School in Indian Head, Maryland in 1949, enlisted in the Air Force in 1950 and graduated from Georgetown University in 1961 with a BSBA.

Horace’s Military assignments included San Antonio, Texas; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (where he was the assistant to Catholic and Protestant Chaplains). During his military service, he enjoyed traveling to various destinations such as: Casablanca, North Africa; Tripoli, North Africa; Beirut, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Cairo, Libya, Lebanon, Budapest, Bahram, the Persian Gulf, Mexico and Iceland. Horace also worked as an MP/AP (Military Police and Air Police). Horace received an Honorable Discharge March 12, 1954 at West Palm Beach AFB, Florida.

After Horace’s graduation from Georgetown in 1961, he took a job with the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) in Washington, DC. He joined EIA as Administrative Assistant to the marketing Data Department. In 1967, he became Director of Research for another national trade association. He rejoined EIA in 1969 and served as manager of Special Projects and Publications, and Director of Marketing Programs for Components, Industrial Electronics and Telecommunications. He led the expansion of US Government trade classifications for electronics and the conversion to the worldwide Harmonized Systems of Tariffs. He also prepared EIA’s annual Electronic Market Data Book. Horace joined the Components Group in 1991 and assumed additional duties, including the coordination of the Group’s involvement in Government Relations matters and the preparation of the “Contact” newsletter. He also participated as a U.S. delegate to the World Capacitor Trade Statistics (WCTS) organization. Horace was a world traveler, attending annual World Trade meetings in such places as Amsterdam, Japan, Germany, China, Hungary, Denmark and Hong Kong. In 1997, after 36 years of dedicated service, he retired as Director of Marketing and Foreign Relations.

Horace was a parishioner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Piscataway, Maryland for 59 years, where he was a member of the Holy Name Society. Additionally, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus council 2293 for 69 years. His interests included gardening, western movies, all sports, especially football and baseball, and country music. Eddy Arnold was his favorite performer/singer. In 1949, Horace recorded two songs with Clyde Bowie and Allen Martin of Uncle Tommy’s Maryland Ramblers, titled “Have You Ever Been Lonely” and “No Letter Today”. Horace was a very accomplished, self-taught musician. He played the guitar, bass fiddle, accordion, piano and organ… all done from memory, never reading notes. Horace was an artist, a great cook and a talented carpenter. He also liked to tease and poke fun. Horace held his family in high regard and loved them deeply but found it difficult to express that love.

Horace is preceded in death by his parents Thelma and Walter Johnson, brothers Johnny and Donald Johnson, sisters Mary Rose Clifton and Thelma Kubacki, and cherished nieces and nephews.

Horace is survived by his wife, Susie of almost 69 years, and four children: son Tim and his wife Linda, son Chris, daughter Jenna and her husband Bob Licurgo, and daughter Joleen. He is also survived by four grandchildren: granddaughter Melissa and her husband Jon Cox, grandson Jonathan Licurgo and his wife Jessica, grandson Craig Johnson and his wife Jenna, and grandson Andrew Licurgo and his wife Jordyn. Horace is additionally survived by nine great-grandchildren: Reed, McKenna, Canaan, Kori, Logan, Caleb, Macy, Emery and baby Licurgo, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Final arrangements will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Maryland Veterans Museum

P. O. Box 2123

La Plata, MD 20646

https://www.mdvets.cc/donate