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Rady A. Johnson

Rady A. Johnson

RICHMOND—Rady Alan Johnson, 82, died peacefully in Richmond, surrounded by his five children on March 21, 2019.

 Rady was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Mary Alice (“Mimi”) Johnson (née Fitzpatrick).

He is survived by his five children, Rady (Diane) Johnson, Ann (Bradd) Waters, Patrick (Jennifer) Johnson, Frederick Johnson and Mary (Charles) Kemp; in addition to his sister, Marcia (Chuck) Solem; 15 grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, and extended family.

 Rady was born July 23, 1936, to Walter and Mary Johnson in Lincoln, Neb., where he spent his childhood as the youngest of four children. His family moved east in 1949, and he attended Washington & Lee High School in Arlington, before returning to his Cornhusker roots to attend college and law school at the University of Nebraska, where he met his wife, Mimi.

 Rady began his career practicing law in North Platte, Neb., for several years before returning to Washington, D.C., to pursue public service, first as a congressional aid on Capitol Hill, followed by a civilian post at the Pentagon as the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Legislative Affairs, where he traveled to Vietnam several times to advise Congress on the status of the war.

Upon leaving the government, Rady spent 26 years with Standard Oil of Indiana (Amoco) where he became senior vice president, government and corporate affairs, before retiring in 1995. He was admired for his calm demeanor, subtle wit and ability to work cooperatively with all members of Congress.

Rady enjoyed many hobbies. As an avid golfer, Rady spent time with friends, family, and work colleagues walking fairways, sharing stories and occasionally making a long putt. He cherished time with his fellow members and the entire staff of Burning Tree Golf Club where he was honored to have served a term as president.  He was a particularly devoted Nebraska football and Washington Redskins fan.

Rady also enjoyed reading biographies, playing cards and tending to his yard and other household chores (under Mimi’s watchful eye). He was a faithful parishioner at St. John’s Catholic Church in McLean, for more than 30 years and more recently at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Kilmarnock.

 Rady’s first love was family. Colorado ski trips or beach vacations along the east coast were annual family events, where most evenings ended with long dinners, loud voices, and fits of laughter. In later years, Rady and Mimi hosted gatherings for the expanding Johnson family at their home in Irvington, including reunions, week-long summer camps for the grandchildren, and an occasional wedding.

 After Mimi’s death in 2010, Rady took up residency in Irvington, spending increased time with his grandchildren or traveling to visit friends and family. Although his health declined in recent years, he continued to share his charm, humor and kind words with the new friends and helpers he met at Fox Hill retirement community in Maryland and the Gables Group at Westminster Canterbury in Richmond.

Rady lived and died a happy man. He was always appreciative of the many blessings he enjoyed and showed it in his generosity toward others.

 A memorial mass and celebration of Rady’s life will be planned at a later date. In the meantime, if you have memories to share about Rady (or Mimi), the family would love to hear them. They can be e-mailed to [email protected] or mailed to: Rady’s Family, 80 York Road, Irvington, Virginia 22480. Donations in Rady’s memory may be made to the Ashley Treatment Center, 800 Tydings Lane, Havre de Grace, MD, 21078 (www.ashleytreatment.org).

Rappahannock Record Staff
Rappahannock Record Staffhttp://www.rrecord.com
From the Rappahannock Record news team

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