Wayne Johnson

Wayne Johnson passed away peacefully at his home in Beeville, Texas on January 8, 2023.

Born in his grandfather’s house in Leonard, Texas, Wayne and his parents made their way to Greenville, Ohio where he grew up and graduated from Greenville High School (The Green Wave). As an outstanding track star in high school, he earned a full track scholarship to East Texas State in Commerce, Texas (aka Texas A&M University-Commerce). Upon graduating from East Texas State, Wayne returned to Greenville as a teacher and a track/cross country coach from 1965-1970. Wayne returned to Texas and became an assistant and high school principal/athletic director in Bells, Texas, and other duties as assigned, i.e., bus driver, head football coach, and girls’ basketball coach. From there, he had the opportunity to go to Highland Park High School as a teacher and assistant high school football coach from 1975-1982. His football career there was so exciting as the Highland Park Scots went multiple years deep into the playoff schedule. In 1982, he decided to pursue a career in construction with his best friend, Ron Van Hooser, which ended in the lean years of the late 1980s. Wayne relocated to South Texas and became employed at Aransas County ISD as an assistant middle school principal and then assistant high school principal in Rockport, Texas. In 1996, Wayne became the high school principal at A.C. Jones High School in Beeville, Texas, and stayed until the end of the 1999 school year. He finished his education career back at Aransas County ISD where he was the superintendent of schools. Wayne was awarded the 2007 Regional School Superintendent of the Year for Region 2. Shortly after retiring, he held three interim positions at Port Aransas ISD: two as superintendent and one as the high school principal. His students were his passion and his focus was ALWAYS on them. Whether it was teaching, coaching, or mentoring children, he gave 100%. In addition to his passion for serving students, he enjoyed sailing and raising quail. 

Wayne is survived by his wife, Linda; two daughters, Julie (Tim) Armstrong and Kathryn (John) Howell, and stepdaughter, Trisha Trueper; six grandchildren, Nathan (Whitney) Farley, Tyler (Sara) Graves, Alex Howell, Zach Howell, Madeline Howell, and Jake Howell; three great-grandchildren, Sloan Avery Farley, Aurora Graves, and Jensen Graves; and his first wife, Ann Barnes.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 4 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Port Aransas Civic Center (710 West Avenue A, Port Aransas, Texas 78373). Attire will be coastal casual. Students and school district employees, whether past or present, are invited to wear school spirit shirts.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wayne Johnson Memorial Fund at American Bank (216 South Alister, Port Aransas, Texas 78373) or via Venmo @holdtherope. This memorial fund will continue to support the projects that he loved in Port Aransas.

OAK PARK MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL

BEEVILLE, TEXAS

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