[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13881]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO JAMES ARTHUR JOHNSON

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                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 25, 2008

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a man who 
exemplified the ideal husband, father, and human being to all whose 
lives he touched. James Arthur Johnson was born and raised in 
Philadelphia, where he lived his entire life. He graduated from Bok 
Vocational High School and went on to the Marine Corps, where he 
honorably served our country.
  After serving in the Marine Corps, Officer Johnson continued his 
life's work in public service with the United States Post Office, 
followed by an appointment to the All Philadelphia Police Department in 
September 1957. As a police officer, his detail included the Highway 
Patrol, 19th Police District, and Narcotics Unit. During his career in 
the Philadelphia Police Department, Officer Johnson earned the respect 
of all who knew him. His strong moral fiber, wise counsel, fatherly 
ways made him a pleasure to encounter.
  In 1971, Officer Johnson suffered an injury in the line of duty. Yet, 
he continued to serve our city from within the Mayor's Office of 
Information and Complaints. With 23 years of service on the Police 
Force under his belt, Officer Johnson retired in 1980. He then went on 
to become the housing site manager for the Philadelphia Housing 
Authority until he retired in 1990. Even though Officer Johnson entered 
his second round of retirement, he never gave up his cherished role as 
a public servant. He was a well-known member of the Cobbs Creek 
community, where he was a baseball coach for the Cobbs Creek Cubs, as 
well as a mentor, Scout leader and surrogate father to many of the 
community's youth.
  Madam Speaker, Officer Johnson's light was extinguished on June 13th, 
but the light he has shared with others bums ever so brightly. His 
loving family, friends, and community will miss him very much. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in expressing the condolences of the House to his 
family. I hope that they find comfort in the knowledge that his time on 
Earth was well spent and that he left the world a better place than the 
one he found.

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