HOBERT K. JOHNSON, 85 of Cherokee, Iowa passed away Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 21st, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Rev. Magrey deVega, Rev. Herbert Johnson and Rev. Ron Johnson
will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee, Iowa. There will be military rites at the graveside by L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the Church on Saturday. Visitation will be on Friday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. with the family present from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. There will be Masonic services at 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening at the funeral home. On line condolences may be sent to www.boothbyfuneral.com

Hobert was born September 10, 1922 at Ida Grove, Iowa to George W. & Mabel (Sargent) Johnson. He graduated from Ida Grove High School in 1940.

As a member of the National Guard, he was sent to Camp Claiborne in Louisiana. While there war broke out. He was sent to Fort Dix in New Jersey and then shipped overseas in February of 1941. He landed in Ireland, and then was sent to North Africa, then Tunisia and finally Naples. Italy. When the war ended, he was sent to Switzerland where he received his discharge papers and sent home. While in service, he served as a medic. He received the Bronze Star for exceptional meritorious conduct plus several other medals of distinction.

On July 23, 1945, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Bleakly. On Father's Day in 1952, they were blessed with a daughter, Deborah.

Hobe, as many knew him, was employed by Rock Island Lumber Company and then Champion Electric. In December of 1956, he went into business for himself and was known as Hobe Johnson Electric Service.

Hobert was a member of the St. Paul's United Methodist Church and a faithful member of the choir for 50 years. He was blessed with a beautiful tenor voice and for years shared his talent as a soloist at many churches, musicals, and organizations. He was a 50 year member of Speculative Lodge #307 A.F. & A.M. and also a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star, of which he and his wife were Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron in 1955. He was also a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, Abu-Bekr Shrine Temple, the Cherokee Shrine Club and the Cherokee Flying Carpets, the Cherokee Country Club, the American Legion, and the V.F.W.

Hobert enjoyed music, golfing, fishing, and was devoted to his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and best friend Mary on September 22, 2002, an infant brother George, a brother Fred, a brother Arlo; and a sister Charlotte.

He is survived by a daughter Deborah Cozine and her husband Mark of Cherokee, Iowa; 4 grandchildren: Jerud Cozine and his wife Cassy of Cherokee, Iowa; Joshua Cozine of Los Angeles, California; Katy Martin and her husband Ed Hickey of Lawrence, Kansas; Leah Martin and her fiancée Jon Lane of Brooklyn, New York; one great grandson whom he adored, Ethan Cozine. Also surviving are his twin brother Herbert Johnson of Arthur, Iowa; a sister Lois O'Reilly of Ida Grove, Iowa; two sisters-in-law: Dorothy Johnson of Ida Grove, Iowa; Esther Bleakly of Cherokee, Iowa; a brother-in-law George Baker of Omaha, Nebraska; as well as numerous nephews and nieces.