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Lt. Colonel Warren C. Johnson (R) was promoted to glory on June 6, 2001, from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange, CA. Born July 3, 1914, in Dinuba, CA, Warren began his association with The Salvation Army at age nine when he and his family became Salvationists in Wichita, KS.
He entered training from the Detroit #1 Corps, and was commissioned as a Probationary Lieutenant from the Chicago Training College in 1937 with the Guardians of the Covenant session.
After serving his first appointment in Warsaw, IN and receiving his lieutenant’s rank in 1938, Lt. Johnson stepped aside from officership to marry Probationary Lt. Tena Hoeksel. They were reaccepted in 1941 and sent to Appleton, WI as corps officers.
After serving as corps officers in the Central Territory, the Johnsons began working within the Men’s Social Service Department, now the ARC, in 1945. In 1952, the family, now composed of Warren, Tena, Warren, Jr. and Robert, were sent “on loan” to the West, where Johnson briefly served at the Los Angeles and San Bernardino Centers. In 1953 they moved to Fresno as manager of the center. Three years later they moved back to the Los Angeles center where they stayed for eight years.
While in So. California, Capt. Johnson was designated as a Sector-Director for the So. Calif. Disaster Communica-tions net. The Johnson family was transferred to the Western Territory in 1958.
In 1965, now Brigadier Johnson was appointed to THQ in San Francisco as the Territorial Men’s Social Services Secretary. In 1967 the family was transferred to the Southern Territory where he assumed territorial leadership of the MSS Department in Atlanta, GA, and received the rank of Lt. Colonel. They retired from active service in 1979 and moved to Santa Ana, CA.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Tena, two sons, Warren, Jr. and Robert, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A service of remembrance was held at the Tustin Ranch Corps with Captain Lee R. Lescano officiating. Cards and messages may be sent to Mrs. Lt. Colonel Tena Johnson (R), at 555 Memory Lane East, #A321, Santa Ana, CA 92706.
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