M. Lyle Johns

Parents Gerald L. Johns Sr. and Page (Goldsmith) Johns Adamson.

M. Lyle Johns, 92, left this world for his heavenly home Oct. 23, 2018, under the care of his daughter Kathy and Great Lakes Hospice. He was born Nov. 14, 1925, the son of Gerald L. Johns Sr. and Page (Goldsmith) Johns Adamson. The love of his life, Margaret (Smith) Johns passed away July 4, 2018. They were married for 72 years.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Jerry and his wife, Margaret.

He is survived by his children, Steven L. Johns of Jackson, Kathleen M. Johns of Brooklyn and Kenneth L. Johns of Cement City; grandsons, Tony (Michelle) Johns of Clarklake, Kevin (Madeline) Johns of Boylston, Mass., Frank (Tracy) Doering of Leesburg, Va., and Brandon (Amy) Doering of Santon Valley, Ariz.; 14 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; sister-in-law’s, Marilyn Frederick of Concord, Dorothy Kerr of Jackson, Rose Ann Wittenburg Pelham of Jackson, Ruth (Don) Davis of Clarklake and Carole Hartsuff of Clarklake; brother, Westly (Marie) Smith of Jackson; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Lyle graduated from Cement City Schools in 1944. He worked as a bus driver for Cement City Schools and a farm hand before going into the U.S. Navy military service from 1944-1946, where he served aboard the USS Arkansas in the South Pacific. He was in two major conflicts; Iwo Jima and Okinawa, where he saw the American flag go up in the famous Iwo Jima photo. He was a member of the Brooklyn American Legion Wilber-Bartlett Post #315.

He married Margaret in Aug. of 1946. They lived in the Clarklake and Lake Columbia areas all their married life. He was known as a ‘Mr. Fixit’ guy. He worked at the Cement Plant in Cement City until its closing, and then he took a course to work for Tompkins Johnson, now known as Eaton Corp. He was a talented wood carver for many years, and many family and friends have been blessed to have one of his carvings. He was an avid reader, reading stories of the U.P. and Michigan History, and he enjoyed fishing.

He was very proud of his family. He was blessed to meet is great-great-grandson.

A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Cement City Baptist Church, 16788 Cement City Road, Cement City. Family visitation is from 10 to 11 a.m. and the service is at 11 a.m. Pastor Drew Woods and Ned Bernstein will officiate. Military honors will be conducted at the church. A luncheon will be served immediately following the service.

A special thanks to Great Lakes Homecare and Great Lakes Hospice for their help with his care, and a special thank you to Sherry Santana and Barb Myers.