Thomas M. Johnson, 77, a World War II bomber pilot and imports business owner, died of congestive heart failure Friday, March 8, in his Evergreen Park home. Mr. Johnson was born and raised in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. He volunteered for the Army Air Forces in 1943 and flew 30 missions in B-17 bombers over Germany from October 1944 to March 1945, said his son Jim Johnson. “He flew his first precision bombing mission when he was 19. He had his pilot’s license before he had his driver’s license,” his son said. He attended the University of Notre Dame on the GI Bill and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1950. In 1953, he founded Johnson Imports, which sells religious artwork, clothes and artifacts to Catholic churches. Three years later, he met Mickey Buettner while he was playing handball and she was sun-bathing at Rainbow Beach. They began dating and married two years later. In 1970 the couple moved to Evergreen Park, and Mr. Johnson retired a short time later. Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife, Mickey; two daughters, Dana Kleist and Julie Johnson; and six grandchildren. Visitation is scheduled from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday in McGann & Son Funeral Home, 10727 S. Pulaski Rd. Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Most Holy Redeemer Church, 9525 S. Lawndale Ave., Evergreen Park.
