Rodney W Johnson

Memorial Service for Rod W. Johnson will be held on Friday, February 7, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Chaplain Kathy Doiel officiating.  A private family inurnment will be held prior to the service, at the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege.

Rodney Wayne Johnson, 73 years of age, of Kearney, Nebraska, formerly of Holdrege, and the Denver, Colorado area, passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society – St. John's in Kearney.  Rod was born on May 10, 1946 in Holdrege, the youngest of ten children born to Ernest and Irene (Hopkins) Johnson.  He received his education from Holdrege Public Schools and later graduated from Holdrege High School, with the class of 1964.

Rod pursued higher education from the University of Colorado, the University of Maryland - School of Mortgage Banking, the University of Houston - School of Mortgage Banking, and from Parks Junior College in Aurora, Colorado.

Rod began his long career in Mortgage Banking in 1966, with the United Bank of Denver (now Wells Fargo Bank) as an Accounting Supervisor.  He took positions at multiple companies including:  the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the United Mortgage Company; the Unified Mortgage Company, and the Moore Mortgage Company; Vice President and Manager of the Mortgage Lending Division for the Professional Bank; Operations Manager for Imperial Credit Industries; Vice President of Operations for Platte Valley Funding; and was the President and Co-Owner of JH Mortgage Services, INC., which provided out-source services for mortgage lenders, including processing, closing, underwriting and training.  Following the sale of his business, he worked for First American Nationwide Documents, as the Vice President and Controller; and retired with the First Colorado Mortgage Corporation as the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  Upon retirement Rod moved to Kearney to be closer to family.

Rod served three years on the Board of Directors of Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association; and was honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.  When Rod wasn't working, he loved traveling, hiking, reading and playing trivia games.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings and their spouses:  Melvin Johnson and wife, Clyda; Dean Johnson and wife, Jean; Merlyn "Mert" Johnson and wife, Dorcel; Larry Johnson and former wife, Mary Ellen; Lois Anderson and husband, Donn; Doris Lavene and husband, Daniel; Leone Woollen and husband, Bernard "Bernie", and his second wife, Juanita; and brother-in-law:  Frank Wentling.

He leaves to celebrate his life; his sister, Phyllis Wentling of Holdrege; his brother, Dennis Johnson and his wife, Shirley of Larkspur, Colorado; many nieces and nephews, who held a special place in his heart; along with other relatives and friends.

The family is honoring Rod's wish for cremation.  There will be no visitation or memorial book signing.

A memorial has been established in Rod's honor and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements