© R Burnett

©Hart Funeral Home
Submitted by Jan Grooms

Loyd Keith Johnson was born on April 21, 1943, in Bakersfield, CA to his parents; Carson Johnson and Ethel Tunnell (Hardcastle).

He met the love of his life as a young Airman stationed at Shepard Air Force Base. They started dating when he came home to Westville, Oklahoma and married her August 18, 1964, the month after Rita's 18th birthday. The happy couple struggled with Air Force wages at Shepard AFB and Homestead, Florida. While serving their country, they had two children Debra Ann born in Stilwell in March 1967 while Keith was in Ubon, Thailand. Bryan Keith arrived in August 1968 while they were stationed at Homestead, Florida. They left the Air Force in July 1970 and returned to Northeast Oklahoma. That fall, Keith attended NSU and Rita gave birth to their third child, Kevin Wayne, in Stilwell in November 1970. The following semester his wife Rita joined him in attending NSU. Their next child arrived in September 1981 and was named Major Brent. In August 1986, the couple moved to Laredo, TX where they began their teaching career in the public school system. Keith was an excellent leader and loved to set an example for the younger generation during his teaching career. In his spare time, he loved watching his OU Sooners, being outdoors and getting to use his firearms, and was very honored to be a part of the Acacia Fraternity at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. He will be missed dearly by all he leaves behind.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life; Rita Ann Ritter Johnson, his parents, a son; Major Johnson and a daughter; Debbie Johnson.

He is survived by his two sons; Bryan Johnson, Kevin Johnson and wife Becky, granchildren; Zeke Johnson, Jenna Johnson, Kayla Bennett and husband James, one great-granddaughter; Riley Bennett.