 HAROLD JOHNSON Harold Cecil Johnson, 89, of Topeka died Sunday, July 27, 2008, from complications resulting from a recent auto accident. He was born Oct. 17, 1918, in Hartford to Ross and Elizabeth Johnson. Harold loved the outdoors from a young age and was an avid fisherman throughout his life. As a teenager he earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America. He attended Kansas Wesleyan University, where he excelled as a basketball player and received his degree in education. Upon his graduation, he was drafted into the Navy during World War II. He was discharged in December 1945 with the rank of specialist A 2nd class. He married Dorris E. Tebben on January 27, 1940. They met on campus at Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, Ks. and traveled much of the world throughout their life together. In 1948, the couple and their daughter moved to Parsons, where Harold and Dorris would teach at Parsons High School for many years. In 15 years as the basketball coach at Parsons High School, his teams compiled a 190-35 record and won 10 SEK championships. For his efforts, he would later be inducted into the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 2001 the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame. After giving everything to coaching, he stepped away in 1963 to start a second career in insurance. He worked as an agent for State Farm until his retirement in 1981. Retirement away from family and friends did not suit Harold and Dorris, so after 18 months in Bella Vista, Ark., they moved to Topeka to be closer to friends and family in 1982. Survivors include his wife, Dorris (Tebben) Johnson; a daughter, Susan Hughes and her husband, Larry, of Topeka; a son, H. Kemper Johnson of New York, N.Y.; two grandsons, John Hughes and his wife, Stephanie, of Topeka and Jeff H. Hughes of Topeka; and three great-granddaughters, Taylor, Talisa and Tateum. He was preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters. The service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka. Memorials are suggested to Kansas State High School Activities Association Inc., P.O. Box 495, Topeka, 66601-0495. GEORGE HARVEY, TOM VERNIER, CLEARANCE ALBERTY, LESLIE LARUE, BEN WITTY, TERRY PHILLIPS, MITCH PUCKETT AND MORE HAD A SIX POINT LEAD ON KANSAS CITY WYANDOTTE H. S. WITH 3 MINUTES LEFT AND ALMOST WON IN THE LARGEST 6A BRACKET OF KANSAS H. S. BASKETBALL IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT AT WICHITA IN 1963 IN THE SEMIFINALS. IF WE WOULD HAVE WON, PARSONS WOULD HAVE PLAYED FOR THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 6A. WYANDOTTE'S 6' 2" CENTER LUCIOUS ALLEN SCORED 32 POINTS AT PHS IN 1964 IN THE ROTATING YEARLY TOURNAMENT BETWEEN PARSONS, WYANDOTTE, TOPEKA, AND WICHITA NORTH HIGH SCHOOLS. IN COLLEGE LUCIOUS ALLEN STARTED AS GUARD WITH LEW ALCINDOR, ALIAS KAREEM ABDUL JABAR ON THE UCLA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AND STARTED WITH JABAR ON THE 1971 MILWAUKEE BUCKS NBA CHAMPIONS. JOHNNY LINDEN: MY BIGGEST CLAIM TO FAME WAS BLOCKING THE SHOT OF STATE CHAMPION HIGH JUMPER POINT GUARD CLARENCE ALBERTY IN BASKETBALL PRACTICE ONE DAY. YOU CAN SEE HIS 1963 CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY IN THE HALL IN FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM AT PHS. ANOTHER DAY I GOT GEORGE HARVEY THROWN OUT OF PRACTICE BY HAROLD JOHNSON FOR GEORGE THROWING AN ELBOW AT ME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO BLOCK GEORGE'S SHOT UNDER THE BASKET. ANOTHER DAY I GOT DOUG JONES AND MYSELF THROWN OUT OF PRACTICE FOR SLAMMING THE BALL OFF OF DOUG AFTER I FAKED HIM UP IN THE AIR AND HE CHOSE TO LAND ON MY BENT CALF AND TEAR A MUSSEL AND BRING SHARP PAIN INSTEAD OF DOUG LANDING ON THE FLOOR WHERE MOST FEET USUALLY LAND. OF ALL THE YEARS OF BASKETBALL, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PERSON LAND HALF WAY UP THE BODY OF A PLAY AFTER A FAKE SHOT. I KNOW HE DID IT ON PURPOSE LIKE HE DID ANOTHER DAY AT PRACTICE WHEN HE THREW THE BASKETBALL 3/4 THE LENGTH OF THE COURT AND HIT ME IN THE HEAD AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING BECAUSE I WAS STANDING WITH MY BACK TO THE COURT TALKING TO SOMEONE. GO BACK | ||