Gary LeRoy Johnson

Gary began life on August 19, 1938, as the second son born to Morry and Bettye Johnson. He grew up in south Minneapolis, where his father owned Sunlight Meat Market at the corner of 34th and Chicago Avenue. Gary and his older brother, Fred, often helped out in the shop and made deliveries for their father, navigating the Powderhorn Park neighborhood on their bikes. Two more siblings, Sharon and David, rounded out their busy family of six. In 1945, Morry and Bettye felt the Lord was calling them to full-time ministry, and they became one of the founding families of Bethany Fellowship, where Morry served as Vice President, a position Gary would hold several decades later. The Johnsons moved to the Bethany campus in Bloomington, and Gary went on to graduate from Bloomington High School in 1956 and then attend Bethany Missionary Training Center. Music was a central passion of Gary's life, and following graduation from Bethany, he studied music at Augsburg College, an education that served him well when he was asked to lead the choir at Bethany Church. In 1959, Gary met Carol Schisler, a young woman from California who had grown up in the jungles of Borneo with her missionary parents. Her zest for life and boundless creativity, along with his thoughtful, curious approach to life was truly a match made in Heaven. Married in 1962, they joined the Bethany Fellowship staff and began singing Gary's songs at churches around the Twin Cities and beyond. Three albums, countless performances, and annual Christmas choir concerts that drew thousands to Bethany Church marked a distinguished musical career. Besides music, Gary's other passion was sharing the good news of the gospel through books. In his mid-twenties, Gary started what would become Bethany House Publishers and an enduring legacy of thousands of book titles and multiplied millions of books, including Leonard Ravenhill's Why Revival Tarries and Larry Christenson's The Christian Family to the visionary introduction of Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly and Leith Anderson's Dying for Change. By 1980, Carol had left her position as librarian and joined the editorial staff at Bethany House, and the two of them left an indelible mark on the Christian publishing industry, with books published in over 60 languages. From humble beginnings to numerous industry awards, including ECPA's Christian Book Awards, Gold Medallion Awards, and Gold and Platinum Awards, Gary and Carol's commitment to excellence never wavered. In 2008, Gary retired from the publishing industry to focus more on family, including their two daughters, Deb and Barb, their six grandchildren, and soon four great-grandchildren. Gary and Carol's retirement years were spent enjoying long vacations, time at their cabin, and the grandparent circuit of track meets, dance recitals, gymnastics, and more. Some things never changed, though, and each morning would find Gary with a cup of coffee in one hand and his Bible in the other. He was a man of many talents-a sharp businessman, a gifted composer and musician, and a quiet mentor to many-but he is remembered most as a husband, father, grandfather, and friend whose faith, kindness, and joy will continue to shine through the lives he touched. Gary passed away on December 4, surrounded by loved ones. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff at McKenna Crossing, Prior Lake, for their care and support during Gary's final days. A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 16 at 11:00 a.m. at Bethany Church, 6900 Auto Club Road, Bloomington. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Memorial gifts in Gary's name can be directed to: Bethany International, 6820 Auto Club Road, Suite J, Bloomington, MN 55438. Or online: https://give.bethanyinternational.org/GaryJohnsonMemorial

Tributes

Gary LeRoy Johnson

August 19, 1938 - December 4, 2024

Tributes

Gary LeRoy Johnson

August 19, 1938 - December 4, 2024

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