John J.

Johnson, president of Farmer’s Bank, dies at 74

Johnson, 74, lost his life on Monday during a Riverdale High School basketball game. He died
watching the sport he loved, after suffering from a heart attack during the first quarter of the
game against Geneva.

As a lifelong resident of Riverdale, his absence leaves his family as well as the people of the
community with a harrowing loss. Johnson was born and raised in Riverdale where his father
was a minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Riverdale. Following a religious upbringing,
this conscientious man was imprisoned for six months after being convicted of draft evasion.
Later in his life, Johnson chose to stay close to home and earned his MBA degree from Riverdale
University in 1950 where he was an all-conference basketball player.

He had a strong connection to his roots and was an active member of his community for many
years. He had joined the Riverdale School Board for a decade and then became a member of the
Riverdale City Council starting from 1970 for eight years. Johnson also excelled in his line of
work and became the president of the States Bankers’ Association in 1977. He then spent the
remaining years of his life as the president of Farmer’s Bank in Riverdale.

Johnson is survived and will be remembered by his wife, Helen Johnson.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m on Thursday at McGrew-Jones Funeral Home, 2121 Central
Avenue in Riverdale, and the burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.

Donations in Johnson’s memory in the form of contributions and flowers may be delivered to the
Local Heart Association.