Lawrence Wayne Johnson

Born in Lawton, Okla., the third child of Charlie and Myrtle Johnson. The family moved to New Mexico and then Arizona, settling in the Coolidge-Florence area, where they farmed. Before graduating from Florence Union High School in 1944, he earned an unprecedented number of athletic letters. He joined the Navy that same year. After serving in WWII, rereturned to Florence. He was drafted to play professional baseball by the ST Louis Cardinals organization and played in the Texas Longhorn League. He later moved to Coolidge and played for the Coolidge Boosters, a fast-pitch team that competed in five national championships. He coached Little League baseball for many years in Coolidge and Eloy and led some teams to state championships. He worked for Don Mahoney Agency for many years and later started his own agency. He held offices in the Eloy Lions Club, was a member of First United Methodist Church, a board member of the Central ARizona Irrigation and Drainage District and a devout supporter of the Dust Devils Booster Club. He was a lifelong fisherman, hunter and had a passion for horse racing.