Dr. Roy D. Johansen

Dr. Roy Dean Johansen, 85, of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, died on November 7, 2024. 

A proud veteran, Roy served active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1961 to 1967 and then in the Naval Reserve, attaining the rank of Lt. Commander before his retirement in 1999. He was proud to have done his duty to help defend the freedom of citizens across this country and was a member of V.F.W. Post 3118 in Pleasant Hill for 24 years. 

Roy served on the following ships: USS Requisite (AGS-18), 1961-63; USS Mt Baker (AE-4), 1963-64; USS Surfbird (ADG-383), 1965-1966. While serving his country he earned medals for National Defense, Vietnam Service, Armed Forces, Retired, Vietnam Campaign, Combat Service, American Defense, Vietnam Defense, Cold War Victory, Sea Service, Navy Service, Honorable Service, Guard/Reserve Service and Armed Forces Retired. 

On September 12, 1939, Roy Johansen was born near Melvern, Kansas, to Heber and Pauline (Dugger) Johansen, where his parents struggled to support a family during the Great Depression. Roy was grateful for the lesson of perseverance that his parents instilled. He ran the dairy on the farm from the age of 12. (His dad always said Roy could wash a cow with one hand and eat a hamburger with the other!)

Roy missed only one day of school in 12 years. He read nearly every book in the school library and found a way to get to the school office every day to read the Topeka newspaper. Because the school was so small, he had to do everything - play all the sports, act in the school plays, and, despite being unable to read music, he played the cymbals in the band! He was one of about 20 graduates of Melvern High School in 1957. While seven or so went on to earn their Master’s degree, Roy was the only one with a Ph.D. As Heber used to say, “Knowledge is power, ignorance is bliss.” Roy took his father’s words to heart! 

While a freshman at Emporia State Teachers College, he tested for the Naval Reserve Officer Candidate school and joined the Naval Reserves. He drilled once a month at school and then did basic training in Rhode Island that summer. At his graduation ceremony in 1961, the president of the college, who was also the commanding officer of the local Naval Reserve unit, presented him with his diploma and his commission in the Navy. He was the first graduate from Emporia to be commissioned at graduation. As an undergrad he met his future bride, Judith Irene Ayler, who was also studying to be a teacher. (He wooed her away from his best friend, but that is another story!) 

He and Judy were married in June of 1962. They were first stationed in Philadelphia, Penn., as she finished her degree. The next port was San Francisco, where daughter, Susan, was born. From 1964-1967, Judy and Susan lived in Sasebo, Japan, as Roy cruised off the coast of Vietnam. (It was later determined he was exposed to Agent Orange.) 

In August 1966, the family came home to Kansas, where Roy’s first jobs were teaching history and coaching wrestling and football at Turner and Bishop Miege. During this time, Roy earned his Master’s degree from Emporia and in 1969, their son, Eric, was born. 

Beginning in 1972, Roy served as a graduate assistant for the Kansas State University Wildcats for three seasons. He enjoyed the physicality of coaching football…the same as playing it. It was all about a force of wills. (Judy was skeptical about a future in coaching. She thought it would be a good idea for him to get his Ph.D. so that he could go into school administration and earn more money!)

The first year he coached at K-State he was also the commanding officer at his old unit in Emporia. When it closed, he became the commanding officer at the Manhattan unit for the next two years. After moving to Pleasant Hill, he resumed drilling at the Naval Reserve Station near the Country Club Plaza until he retired from the Navy. 

In 1975, the newly minted Dr. Johansen became the principal at Pleasant Hill High School and the life-long Kansans became Missourians. At that time, PHHS did not enjoy the stellar reputation it now has. Roy was the sheriff who came to town to establish law and order! His teachers appreciated him because he gave them the freedom to teach. His role was to set the atmosphere so they could do that job. He told the students who had discipline problems, “You do not have the right to take away the opportunity for others to learn.” (Roy was an old-school principal. Misbehaving students could choose detention or swats…and he always respected the ones who chose the swats!) 

The transition had its rough patches. The “For Sale” signs and tee-peed trees in the yard on Sunday mornings brought good-natured chuckles from the family, but the brick through Eric’s bedroom window made them question their choice of new hometown. Eventually, the Johansen’s became rooted in the community. Judy taught 4th Grade and then typing and shorthand at the High School. In 1980-81, Roy served as president of the local chapter of Kiwanis and helped coach Eric’s Colts little league football team. In 1988-89, he served as president of the School Business Officials of the State of Missouri. 

As their children were growing up, Roy and Judy took them on two-to-three-week summer road trips in the station wagon each year. They had visited 47 states, Canada, and Mexico, by the time they graduated high school. Roy and Judy believed it was important for kids to see what is “over the horizon.” They wanted theirs to see this huge country and the different people who live here. Their travels taught them about the history of the United States. 

As principal, he is remembered by over 2,000 students who passed through the hallways of the old high school. He helped oversee the rebuilding of the school after it was devastated by a tornado in 1977. In 1979, he was promoted to assistant superintendent and influenced the lives and education of over 20,000 students until his retirement in 1999. Among his legacies is the “new” high school building. 

For 25 years, Dr. Johansen attended nearly every sporting and performance activity at the High School. He was still attending home football games until about a year ago. Roy was inducted into the PHHS Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006, Choral Director Rita North presented him with a “Friend of the Arts” citation, and he received the Eagle Award for support of the Pleasant Hill FFA chapter in 2018-19. 

Roy has been a loyal supporter of athletic programs at Emporia State University, Kansas State University and, of course, the Kansas City Chiefs. He has been a Chiefs season ticket holder since long before it was cool - 1969. 

In 1977 he followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a Grand Master of the Royal Secret of the 32nd degree of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite. Roy was impressed by people who are willing to help others; his grandfather and father taught him that. In the days before health insurance, men would band together in mutual aid societies. His grandfather was the head of one such organization, the Grange. Later, his father became a Mason so he could become a Shriner. As a Shriner, Heber would refer burn victims in the region to the Shriner’s Hospital in St. Louis. 

Because his parents died in their early 60s, Roy always assumed his life would be rather short as well. As he was celebrating his 80th birthday, he said he had been living on borrowed time. “Had I known I was going to live so long, I would have partied harder!”  Maybe it was because he was a country boy, but Roy never knew a stranger; he could strike up a conversation with anyone. His pet peeves were ignorance and a lack of willingness to know and understand what is going on in the world. He was a curious person and wished everyone were as well-informed as he was. He read 25 magazines and periodicals each month, as well as daily local and national newspapers. (His family, friends, and co-workers can all attest to receiving piles of clippings and articles over the years!) 

“I have tried to impress upon the students I have coached and taught to never sell themselves short. I told them, ‘You can be more and do more than you think.’ I faced many failures in my life but continued to persevere. In the military, I didn’t get promoted to Commander. I did not achieve my dream of becoming a Division I football assistant coach. It just turned out that I was not good enough. I realized I would be a good school administrator because of my coaching and naval officer experience. I believe I was successful because I have a deep sense of fairness, and I have faith in the decency of ordinary people. It matters to me to always try to do the right thing. And when I don’t do the right thing, I try to be conscious of it and do better.” 

Roy was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, Stacy. He is survived by his wife, Judy; daughter, Susan, and her husband, Stephen Arbo; son, Eric Johansen and his daughters, Ariana Diehl and her daughter, Artemis; Danielle Johansen and Katie “Sunny” Johansen. He is also survived by three of Stacy’s four children and three grandchildren: his sister, Janet Lang, and her five children and 15 grandchildren. 

Visitation will be held 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 14, 2024, at the funeral home.  A final salute ceremony will be held at 7:00 p.m. by Past Commander Ron Beatty and members of V.F.W. Post #3118.

A private graveside service with full military honors by the United States Navy and the V.F.W. Post #3118 Honor Guard will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are suggested to “Forever Purple and Gold” and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.StanleyEdenburn.com

Arrangements: Stanley-Edenburn Funeral Home, 203 N. Armstrong St., Pleasant Hill, Missouri 64080 (816) 540-5550