Mr. Lee Howard Johnson, 66, of South Bend, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 at 11:03 am at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka. He was born in Needles, California on June 25, 1956 to the late Howard Johnson and JoAnn (Short) Coffman, who survives him in Arizona. Surviving Lee at home is his beloved companion of 40 years, Cara Montana.

Also surviving Lee are his children Niki (Will) Kornrumph of Mishawaka, Christin (Chris) Rockwood of Needles, Greg (Erin) Cole of Glendale, Arizona and Michelle (Matthew) Clayton of South Bend; a sister Susan (Shannon) Stumbaugh of Wickenburg, Arizona; grandchildren Haylee (Andres) Galvez, Jacob Harms, Christopher Rockwood, Camran Jackling, Otis Cole, Quinton Jackling, Brinnah Rockwood, Gwen Cole, Savannah Grennan, Liam Rockwood, Summer Kornrumph, Tim Grennan and Brandon Hampton; and great granddaughter Enzley Galvez, with another on the way!! Lee is also survived by a loving host of extended family, neighbors and good friends, and is preceded in death by his dad Howard and his grandma Vera Johnson. It is also noteworthy to mention that Lee's chihuahua-dachshund mix Sophia (she's called a "chi-weenie") was devastated by the news of his passing and is currently unavailable for comment.

A memorial gathering of family and friends to commemorate Lee's life will be held at Billings Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Elkhart on Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. In accordance with his wishes, Lee has been cremated and will be returned to Arizona where final disposition will take place in March of 2023.

Lee worked most of his life as an HVAC supervisor out west and had been working for the Riverside Resort and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada prior to his passing. He was an active, "go-getter" type of fellow who did not enjoy sitting still. He filled his life with purpose and was always looking for the next thing to do. In his earlier years, he loved to drag race both cars AND boats as well as doing all of the local dirt track circuits. He had a mechanical prowess about him, which no doubt helped him when he was racing, but he had also gained a reputation for fixing just about anything (except for a broken heart, and he was working on that) and that's a skill anyone would want to have. He apparently also had a bit of a medical degree as well, because he was darn well certain that duct (or electrical) tape and a bit of paper towel would cure whatever ailed you.

He was built for the outdoors, and that's really where he found his peace. He was an avid fisherman and camper, and he'd never pass up the opportunity to take the family out as well. He also loved to mow and work on his yard --  again, just to have an excuse to be outside. His daughters would reminisce how Lee liked to just hang out in the yard with a beer or coffee in his hand and make predictions to them about how well he could choose exactly what tree the squirrels would jump into next, and why. It was one of his "dad things" that he did, and the girls would love him for just being silly.

In fact, Lee seemed to be a "dad" for a lot of folks; not just for his own family and children, but to other children and adults as well. Lee's upbringing allowed him to realize the importance of parents and father figures, and he never faltered in making sure that he was always connected to his children and grandchildren. Lee loved all children, for that matter, and animals as well. He was the guy that had that scary grizzled exterior with the soft, squishy instantly lovable interior, and he could strike up and sustain a conversation with literally anyone. He would also do anything for anyone because it was in his heart. He was an American Youth Soccer Organization coach for many, many years. And he was the world's best grandpa as voted by his personal fan club.

Please be sure to thoroughly browse Lee's obit page, as you are able to leave condolences and memories, post photographs on his memory wall, and order other funerary items in regard to the family.