Ross James Johnson

Ross James Johnson 89 of Whiting, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2023.  He was the youngest son of George and Elizabeth Callahan Johnson and brother to Allan, Myrna and Rita, his twin. Ross was the beloved husband of  Edy (Edwardene) Molson.  They married January 21, 1978. Ross outlived his loving family.  He knew all the aunts, uncles, parents, cousins from all family branches and kept the family stories alive.  He loved the Whiting/Hammond/East Chicago region and lived his whole life by the shores of Lake Michigan.  He planted trees honouring his family in Forsythe Park.

Ross was a proud uncle.  He is survived by 12 Canadian Quinn nieces, nephews, their families and 8 Molson nephews, nieces, their families and Edy’s brother, Francis. He enjoyed the company of Callahan, O’Brien and Johnson cousins and the Gulassa, Molson, Tumidalsky families. After Edy died November 25, 2018, Sister Kathleen Quinn, Sister Barb Kuper and other Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ in East Chicago provided friendship, care and encouragement through his time of grief, loneliness and isolation in the pandemic. His nephew, Chris Molson, helped him move from the historic Molson home at 1414 Roberts Avenue, built by Edy’s father. Chris sustained “Uncle Ross” during these past 5 years.

Ross lived a life of service, always ready to lend a helping hand. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Pope John XXIII Council 1696 (prayers Friday at 6:00pm). He enjoyed the annual Friendly Sons of Erin St. Patrick’s Day gathering, connecting with East Chicago Quinn relatives and friends.  He was a retiree of Union Carbide, East Chicago and was a former employee of the Geffert Hardware Store, Whiting. Ross loved music and singing in the church choirs, first Sacred Heart and then St. John’s. He was a gentle man and a gentleman, quick to smile.  He was dearly loved and is dearly missed.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:30am at the Baran Funeral Home, 1235-119th St., Whiting; a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:00am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whiting with the Rev. Mark R. Peres, C.PP.S., officiating; interment, St. John Cemetery, Hammond; visitation at the funeral home on Friday from 3:00 to 7:00pm. The St. John Adult Choir together with members of the parish, will offer prayers at the funeral home on Friday at 4:30pm. Expressions of Sympathy may be placed on-line at www.baranfh.com. The Mass will be live-streamed at www.stjohnbap.org.

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