Donald Keith Johnson

Donald Keith Johnson, 74, of Millville, PA, passed away on May 17, 2022 at home. He lived in Irvington, North Plainfield, and Hazlet, New Jersey before moving to Millville in 2007.

Don was born on December 27, 1947 in Newark during the Great Blizzard of 1947. He was raised in Irvington, where he grew up in an apartment building on Ellis Avenue with his parents and extended family of aunts, cousins, and his godmother. He attended Berkeley Terrace Elementary School and Myrtle Avenue Junior High. He graduated from Irvington High School in 1965, where he played football and baseball for four years, and pitched a no-hit, no-run game in 1963. He graduated from Montclair State College in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, and took graduate courses at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. As a young man, he worked for Lytwyn & Lytwyn Funeral Home.

Don joined the Irvington Police Department in 1969. He completed specialty coursework during his time on the department, and received many awards, including the Jaycee’s Outstanding Young Man of America Award, Policeman of the Month Award, and the Chief’s Achievement Award. He received dozens of letters of commendation, including some for assisting the Secret Service during presidential visits. He was responsible for implementing Irvington’s 911 emergency call system in 1993. Don worked in the Juvenile Bureau and Detective Bureau, and retired as Deputy Chief of Police and Chief of Detectives in 1994. He also taught at the Essex County Police Academy, and was a longtime member and captain of Amvets Ambulance Corps.

He married Jeanne (Jimcosky) Johnson on September 17, 1982 in Irvington. They raised their children in Hazlet, where Don coached his daughter’s sports teams and led his son’s Boy Scout troop. He enjoyed 27 years of retirement, traveling and taking cruises with his family.

He was predeceased by his parents, Walter C. and Wilhelmina (Bachmann) Johnson; a brother, Walter C. Johnson Jr.; and a nephew, Sgt. Michael W. Johnson. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Jeanne (Jimcosky) Johnson, at home; daughter Melissa Johnson and her husband Rick Fogarty of Hazlet, NJ; son Brian Johnson of Millville, PA; granddaughter Keely Elizabeth Fogarty; and beloved brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Services will be Tuesday May 24, 2022 at 6:30 pm at Shore Point Funeral Home, 3269 State Highway/Route 35 North, Hazlet, NJ 07730 with Father Bryan Wolf officiating. Family will receive friends from 4:00 pm until time of service at the funeral home. For information, directions, or to send condolences to the family, please visit, www.shorepointfh.com. Expressions of sympathy including flowers and/or memorial contributions are welcome. Memorial contributions may be made to Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), PO Box 3199, Camdenton, MO 65020.

Family and friends may send online condolences to bunnellfuneralhome.com. The Bunnell Funeral Home Inc., 179 E. Main St., Millville is handling local arrangements.

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