Well, Pal...I wish you the best on your new journey. I always enjoyed my (too short) walk with you for 62 3/4 years. We laughed a LOT, and we both told stories to each other that would really interest a stranger who had never experienced the adventures & the places we traveled...though most of our travels were on different paths. When I first showed up at Daniel's Jr. High in September '63, I knew 0 people. I soon met you & Frank Holt & Belton Jones & Debby Renn. You & I became immediate friends and never looked back. Donnell, you went to a LOT of great music shows. You & I & Frank saw the original Rolling Stones in Raleigh on 11/05/65 - $4.00❗️You went to great blues festivals & I always enjoyed your & Judy's stories about the artists & how they sounded & looked & the whole scene of the festival(s). Your (& Judy's) knowledge of the blues (& lots of deep & obscure stuff) helped me learn about blues artists I had never seen or even heard of. We could always talk easily about music...and I always learned from your experiences. You were a GOOD man with a good heart and had a great family. For many years it wasn't "Don"...it was "Don & Judy"...what a great couple. I know you are still alive - just in a different place. It makes me happy to know that you are doing okay; probably pretty good, actually. Hmmm....I see here that your last entry in this space was a birthday greeting to me...WOW - WHAT an honor❗️Thanks for being my friend, Pal. 🙏
At a loss for words losing a great friend of 60 years and next-door neighbor coming up on 40 years.
We met at Broughton in the marching band - Donnell the Daniel's and me the Martin route to NB Broughton. A self-described awful trombone player, We struck up an immediate friendship. We both attended NCSU, lived in separate apartments at a quadraplex on Banbury Rd and our career paralleled in that we joined up to engineering/medical groups in their beginnings and rode them out to long careers.
My wife introduced Donnell to wife Judy In the mid 80's, the lot next to mine came up for sale. Donnell and Judy jumped on it and built their home. Watching our kids grow up, fishing trip to Mexico, numerous trips to Jazz fest and other adventures.
Last couple years we shared our love of bourbon with Tiki Bar Mondays at his house (from a John Hiatt song) and Front Porch or Bar Room Friday Happy Hour at mine.
On the front proch this Friday now keeping up the tradition listening to some of Donnell's favorite music and missing Donnell walking around the corner from his house. Take some consolation in Donnell was close to death from Hodgkin's Dz, but made a miraculous recovery and we got anothet blessed 7-8 years.
Please take some time to click on the obituary below. Liz, Donnell's daughter-in-law, and Judy did a better job of describing the essence of Donnell's life.
One of the few negatives of advancing age is you lose great friends and family along the way. Huge personal loss but a lot of great memories to hang on to.
Donnell was a great guy! We knew each other from Daniels to Broughton, playing in the bands. We thankfully kept in touch over the years. Our boys were in Boy Scouts together. I will miss his sense of humor.
Don & I met in elementary school, & I expect I was one of many girls in our class who had a big crush on him. In 6th grade, I was elected President, & Don was elected Seargent-at-Arms of the student council (FYI, in retrospect, the peak of my political prowess). We reconnected at a Broughton reunion some years ago, and each of us admitted that we still had a photo of us that appeared in the News & Observer reporting the big news of our election (back when newspapers were truly hometown newspapers. Since that reunion, we've occasionally exchanged emails, and Don signed his, "Your sergeant". Will miss that funny and gentle soul.
Donnell was a familiar figure at Rex Wellness Center, pedaling away on an exercise bike and relating his latest medical adventure with a laugh and a smile. He was proof that an optimistic, positive attitide is powerful medicine. He was a regular at our men's reunion luncheons - again, always with a smile and a friendly greeting. His loss hits hard. We will miss him.
As other of our classmates have posted, we have lost another very special friend. It hurts and is sad that Donnell will no longer be with us at our quarterly lunches and other gatherings. As many others who have posted, our friendship goes way, way back to the time that Raleigh was a small town and it seemed like we all knew everyone at school, in the neighborhoods and at church. Years after high school, I asked Don to help me evaluate some property that I was interested in. He was very helpful and frequently asked me about it even years later. I admired the way he handled his sickness and various "recoveries" he had to endure. He was always positive and upbeat with me, despite whatever process or treatment he was going through at the time. Donnell was truely on of the GOOD GUYS in every way. He will be missed but not forgotten.
Donnell and I grew up in the same neighborhood, he on Wayland and I around the corner on Gordon. I remember well the day in our Third Grade Class at Sherwood Bates when our teacher Mrs. Stephenson and Mrs. Sanders the Principal announced to the class that there had been a mishap over the weekend which had resulted in Donnell losing the vision in his right eye. When Donnell returned to school, there was never a hint of him feeling sorry for himself and there never would be. A previously posted he was a great guy and memories of him will live on.
Rob, Like you, I remember that day in Mrs. Stephenson's 3rd grade class vividly. Mrs. Stephenson never struck me as particularly warm and cuddly, but a few years ago when I was speaking to him, Donnell expressed great affection for her, telling me that after his injury, and before he could return to our class, Mrs. Stephenson regularly spent time with him at home to go over lessons to be sure he wouldn't fall behind in school.
I have known Donnell since the 7th grade at Daniels Jr High School, and throughout our years at NBHS. We reconnected years later, in the early 1970’s, when he was a part of a group of friends living at Banbury Rd in Raleigh.
We enjoyed many fun times there, formed a close, lifetime friendship, and would share many fun moments in the years to come. This included fishing trips, music concerts, annual Christmas parties in Raleigh, and of course NBHS class reunions. My girlfriend, Shirley and I, were frequent house guests with Donnell and Judy every year when we came to town for Frank and Liz Holt's annual Christmas Party. We looked forward to our visit every year to Donnell and Judy's "bed and breakfast', and also "Bernie's Speakeasy" (longtime friend Bernie McCants lived next door to Donnell for 38 yrs and would always have us over to shoot pool and enjoy sampling a bourbon or two from his well stocked bar). Donnell supported his high school and attended all of our class reunions, as well as many NBHS luncheons over the years. Donnell and I stayed in touch, and had many long phone conversations almost every month, during our over 60+ year friendship. Above all things I will miss his warm smile, all the conversations we had, and a lifetime of fun times and special moments we shared along the way.
All our lives were surely better because Donnell Johnson passed our way. You could not have a better friend than Donnell Johnson. I’ll miss him forever and treasure the special moments we shared over a lifetime. He will always be in my heart and live on in the stories we tell. Donnell once said, "I’ve learned that friends are your greatest treasures.” His friendship was definitely a treasure to me and one I'll always cherish. ❤️
A few years ago I received a phone call from Donald. I was practicing radiation oncology at UNC Rex cancer center and was surprised but glad to hear from him. I had casually known Donald in high school and never found him anything but friendly, sincere and an uplifting person to talk with. I had run into him on occasions over the years and never found him not upbeat. He told me he had Hodgkins Disease and wanted to discuss his future treatment. The day he came in for a visit, I noted his name on my schedule and began telling my nurse we were classmates at Broughton and he was of the nicest people I had ever met. She said who are you talking about? I informed her Donald Johnson our next patient. She said you are getting ready to see DONNELL Johnson to my surprise. I opened the door and saw the wonderfull smile of the person i had always known. I asked what is your name? We had a great conversation but I never heard anything about his treatment course. Over the fallowing years I would think about Donald wondering how he was doing knowing he was a survivor. In June I was leaving the Rex Wellness center and, who should I see, coming in the door but that smiling Donnell with Bernie McCants. They both looked to be in excellent health and usual good spirits. Donnell said I should sign up on Broughton class of !967 web page and come have Thursday lunch with classmates once a month. On July 4, I decided to take his advice and went to web site and signed in. Great sadness overcame me to see he had passed away on July 2nd. I don't believe hearing of anyones death, has made me pause and reflect on life as his passing has. He always made the present moment better and remembering him causes a smile. I will miss running into him but am glad I finally learned his name.
Larry Butterton
Well, Pal...I wish you the best on your new journey. I always enjoyed my (too short) walk with you for 62 3/4 years. We laughed a LOT, and we both told stories to each other that would really interest a stranger who had never experienced the adventures & the places we traveled...though most of our travels were on different paths. When I first showed up at Daniel's Jr. High in September '63, I knew 0 people. I soon met you & Frank Holt & Belton Jones & Debby Renn. You & I became immediate friends and never looked back. Donnell, you went to a LOT of great music shows. You & I & Frank saw the original Rolling Stones in Raleigh on 11/05/65 - $4.00❗️You went to great blues festivals & I always enjoyed your & Judy's stories about the artists & how they sounded & looked & the whole scene of the festival(s). Your (& Judy's) knowledge of the blues (& lots of deep & obscure stuff) helped me learn about blues artists I had never seen or even heard of. We could always talk easily about music...and I always learned from your experiences. You were a GOOD man with a good heart and had a great family. For many years it wasn't "Don"...it was "Don & Judy"...what a great couple. I know you are still alive - just in a different place. It makes me happy to know that you are doing okay; probably pretty good, actually. Hmmm....I see here that your last entry in this space was a birthday greeting to me...WOW - WHAT an honor❗️Thanks for being my friend, Pal. 🙏
Bernie McCants
At a loss for words losing a great friend of 60 years and next-door neighbor coming up on 40 years.
We met at Broughton in the marching band - Donnell the Daniel's and me the Martin route to NB Broughton. A self-described awful trombone player, We struck up an immediate friendship. We both attended NCSU, lived in separate apartments at a quadraplex on Banbury Rd and our career paralleled in that we joined up to engineering/medical groups in their beginnings and rode them out to long careers.
My wife introduced Donnell to wife Judy In the mid 80's, the lot next to mine came up for sale. Donnell and Judy jumped on it and built their home. Watching our kids grow up, fishing trip to Mexico, numerous trips to Jazz fest and other adventures.
Last couple years we shared our love of bourbon with Tiki Bar Mondays at his house (from a John Hiatt song) and Front Porch or Bar Room Friday Happy Hour at mine.
On the front proch this Friday now keeping up the tradition listening to some of Donnell's favorite music and missing Donnell walking around the corner from his house. Take some consolation in Donnell was close to death from Hodgkin's Dz, but made a miraculous recovery and we got anothet blessed 7-8 years.
Please take some time to click on the obituary below. Liz, Donnell's daughter-in-law, and Judy did a better job of describing the essence of Donnell's life.
One of the few negatives of advancing age is you lose great friends and family along the way. Huge personal loss but a lot of great memories to hang on to.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/raleigh-nc/donnell-johnson-12440736
Paul R. Woodard
Donnell was a great guy! We knew each other from Daniels to Broughton, playing in the bands. We thankfully kept in touch over the years. Our boys were in Boy Scouts together. I will miss his sense of humor.
Barbara C. Ruby
Don & I met in elementary school, & I expect I was one of many girls in our class who had a big crush on him. In 6th grade, I was elected President, & Don was elected Seargent-at-Arms of the student council (FYI, in retrospect, the peak of my political prowess). We reconnected at a Broughton reunion some years ago, and each of us admitted that we still had a photo of us that appeared in the News & Observer reporting the big news of our election (back when newspapers were truly hometown newspapers. Since that reunion, we've occasionally exchanged emails, and Don signed his, "Your sergeant". Will miss that funny and gentle soul.
James Gary Pearce
Donnell was a familiar figure at Rex Wellness Center, pedaling away on an exercise bike and relating his latest medical adventure with a laugh and a smile. He was proof that an optimistic, positive attitide is powerful medicine. He was a regular at our men's reunion luncheons - again, always with a smile and a friendly greeting. His loss hits hard. We will miss him.
James A. King, II
As other of our classmates have posted, we have lost another very special friend. It hurts and is sad that Donnell will no longer be with us at our quarterly lunches and other gatherings. As many others who have posted, our friendship goes way, way back to the time that Raleigh was a small town and it seemed like we all knew everyone at school, in the neighborhoods and at church. Years after high school, I asked Don to help me evaluate some property that I was interested in. He was very helpful and frequently asked me about it even years later. I admired the way he handled his sickness and various "recoveries" he had to endure. He was always positive and upbeat with me, despite whatever process or treatment he was going through at the time. Donnell was truely on of the GOOD GUYS in every way. He will be missed but not forgotten.
Robert R. Johnson
Donnell and I grew up in the same neighborhood, he on Wayland and I around the corner on Gordon. I remember well the day in our Third Grade Class at Sherwood Bates when our teacher Mrs. Stephenson and Mrs. Sanders the Principal announced to the class that there had been a mishap over the weekend which had resulted in Donnell losing the vision in his right eye. When Donnell returned to school, there was never a hint of him feeling sorry for himself and there never would be. A previously posted he was a great guy and memories of him will live on.
Barbara C. Ruby
Rob, Like you, I remember that day in Mrs. Stephenson's 3rd grade class vividly. Mrs. Stephenson never struck me as particularly warm and cuddly, but a few years ago when I was speaking to him, Donnell expressed great affection for her, telling me that after his injury, and before he could return to our class, Mrs. Stephenson regularly spent time with him at home to go over lessons to be sure he wouldn't fall behind in school.
Daulton West, Jr.
I have known Donnell since the 7th grade at Daniels Jr High School, and throughout our years at NBHS. We reconnected years later, in the early 1970’s, when he was a part of a group of friends living at Banbury Rd in Raleigh.
We enjoyed many fun times there, formed a close, lifetime friendship, and would share many fun moments in the years to come. This included fishing trips, music concerts, annual Christmas parties in Raleigh, and of course NBHS class reunions. My girlfriend, Shirley and I, were frequent house guests with Donnell and Judy every year when we came to town for Frank and Liz Holt's annual Christmas Party. We looked forward to our visit every year to Donnell and Judy's "bed and breakfast', and also "Bernie's Speakeasy" (longtime friend Bernie McCants lived next door to Donnell for 38 yrs and would always have us over to shoot pool and enjoy sampling a bourbon or two from his well stocked bar). Donnell supported his high school and attended all of our class reunions, as well as many NBHS luncheons over the years. Donnell and I stayed in touch, and had many long phone conversations almost every month, during our over 60+ year friendship. Above all things I will miss his warm smile, all the conversations we had, and a lifetime of fun times and special moments we shared along the way.
All our lives were surely better because Donnell Johnson passed our way. You could not have a better friend than Donnell Johnson. I’ll miss him forever and treasure the special moments we shared over a lifetime. He will always be in my heart and live on in the stories we tell. Donnell once said, "I’ve learned that friends are your greatest treasures.” His friendship was definitely a treasure to me and one I'll always cherish. ❤️
Leroy G. Pete Hoffman
A few years ago I received a phone call from Donald. I was practicing radiation oncology at UNC Rex cancer center and was surprised but glad to hear from him. I had casually known Donald in high school and never found him anything but friendly, sincere and an uplifting person to talk with. I had run into him on occasions over the years and never found him not upbeat. He told me he had Hodgkins Disease and wanted to discuss his future treatment. The day he came in for a visit, I noted his name on my schedule and began telling my nurse we were classmates at Broughton and he was of the nicest people I had ever met. She said who are you talking about? I informed her Donald Johnson our next patient. She said you are getting ready to see DONNELL Johnson to my surprise. I opened the door and saw the wonderfull smile of the person i had always known. I asked what is your name? We had a great conversation but I never heard anything about his treatment course. Over the fallowing years I would think about Donald wondering how he was doing knowing he was a survivor. In June I was leaving the Rex Wellness center and, who should I see, coming in the door but that smiling Donnell with Bernie McCants. They both looked to be in excellent health and usual good spirits. Donnell said I should sign up on Broughton class of !967 web page and come have Thursday lunch with classmates once a month. On July 4, I decided to take his advice and went to web site and signed in. Great sadness overcame me to see he had passed away on July 2nd. I don't believe hearing of anyones death, has made me pause and reflect on life as his passing has. He always made the present moment better and remembering him causes a smile. I will miss running into him but am glad I finally learned his name.
LeRoy, Roy, Pete, Hoffman