Kennard Johns

BLACKWATER — Kennard Bradley Johns, 73, of Blackwater, a former tribal councilman in the Gila River Indian Community, died on Jan. 22, 2012, in Phoenix.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday at the Governance Center in Sacaton, with a wake service from 6 to 10 at the District 1 Service Center. The funeral will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Indian Assembly of God in Coolidge, with Pastor Manuel Salas officiating. Burial will be in West Blackwater Cemetery.
Mr. Johns was born on Nov. 4, 1938, in Blackwater and was a son of James L. and Nellie I. Johns. He served in the Army and was a former pastor of Coolidge Indian Assembly of God and a police officer for the tribal department. After retirement he served on the tribe's Law Enforcement Commission. He also was a former tribal councilman, representing District 1.
His greatest passions were his family and farming. He enjoyed visiting and was a friend to all. His hobbies included reading and gardening, and he was a Dallas Cowboys fan. He was a member and chaplain of Haskell Osife-Antone Post 51 of The American Legion.
Survivors include five daughters, Lynette Johns and Cynthia Yazzie of Blackwater, Candra Johns and Valerie Webb of Sacaton Flats and Irene Perez of Coolidge; two sons, Sheldon Johns Sr. of Blackwater and Duriat Johns of Minnesota; a sister, Lenore J. Coronado of Sacaton; 20 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Marlene; a daughter, Carolyn Hernandez; four brothers, Duriat Johns Sr., Elwyn Johns Sr., Ed Johns and Fred Harvey; and four sisters, Dorice Lewis, Myrna Lopez, Karen Casillas and Roberta Gonzalez.
J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud Coolidge Chapel is in charge of arrangements.