Remembering Kent Johnson

On June 8th, we at Howell Farms lost a dear co-worker, friend, and neighbor. In reflection and memory of Kent's six years with Howell Farms, we have reproduced below a focus article on Kent that was included in the December 2012 farm newsletter. Kent will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Kent's Obituary

Kent Johnson has worked with us at the farm going on 3 years now. Kent started by driving a “pumpkin bus” in the Fall of 2009 after answering an ad placed in the paper. After mastering the questionable art of pumpkin bus driving, he helped with field preparation and grain hauling that first winter, then gradually worked into full time for the past 2 years.

Kent grew up on his parents’, Bob and Mary Shockley Johnson, farm in Monroe Township. He graduated from Cowan High School, and then spent a year at Purdue before coming home to help his father on their farm. They were in the dairy business for many years, and then Kent worked at the prison, where he was known as Mr. J, teaching horticulture for 3 years where he “learned a lot about how people react to being cooped up for years”. He enjoyed the time there, but states that “it is not a place I would want to retire from.” He is married to Julie Marcus, his high school sweetheart from Cowan. Julie works as a post processor at First Merchants Bank Data Center at Daleville. Kent and Julie have 3 children, Natalie, Candace and Clay. They have 5 grandchildren ranging in age from 11 to almost 2. We can be the first to wish early congratulations to Kent and Julie because next year will mark their 40th wedding anniversary!

Kent emphatically states that he enjoys all the people he works with here at the farm. “All of us guys get along well and we have a good time. Our personalities do not conflict and nobody tries to outdo the other. “He says that at least part of the reason for this is that “we all know how to work hard.”

Kent says that “farming has always been in his blood” – a sentiment that is difficult to explain fully to anyone who doesn’t have farming in their blood, but makes perfect sense to those of us who couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Kent’s favorite time of year is the Spring when he has a chance to be out in the fields working ground. He enjoys the “smell of the dirt” in a freshly worked field in Springtime which is another special blessing for those with farming in their blood.

Another of Kent’s favorites is hauling grain to the terminals. It definitely beats driving a pumpkin bus!

We believe Howell Farms is blessed that Kent had an interest in pumpkins – and to have quality people like him to help us with the growing that goes on around here on a regular basis! Whenever you come to visit us, be sure to look up Kent and spend a few minutes talking farming - then you will see what we mean.

Excerpted from the December 2012 Howell Farms Newsletter