Philip Lynn JOHNSON Obituary (2024)

Philip L. Johnson, Ph.D., a good and faithful servant, passed peacefully into the presence of his Lord and Savior on December 22, 2024. Phil was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 18, 1947, to Howard and Ruth Johnson, while Howard was attending Moody Bible Institute. Nine months later, the family set sail for India, to serve as missionaries with TEAM Missions. Phil attended Sunrise School, a boarding school in Chikalda, India, which later moved to Nasik. Phil loved India and often told the tale of how his father killed a man-eating leopard. Unfortunately, his parents divorced in 1960, and Ruth returned to the States with Phil and his three siblings, Karen, Roger, and Mary, settling in the Seattle area. His mother supported the family by working in the laundry at King's Garden. Phil graduated from King's Garden High School in 1964. He attended Seattle Pacific College and later transferred to the University of Washington. In September of 1970, he was drafted into the Army and spent two years at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. With the Vietnam War winding down, Phil got an early release from duty in 1972. He returned to Seattle to finish his degree at University of Washington, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1973. Phil's life experiences as a child of divorced parents, growing up in a poor single parent home, and living among the poor in India, all influenced his decision to pursue a degree in psychology. He was accepted to the graduate program in Clinical Psychology at Texas Tech University in 1974 and received his doctorate degree in 1982. In his first year of graduate school, Phil met his future wife, Silvia, who was required as an undergraduate psychology major to be a guinea pig for graduate students to practice therapy and testing skills. Silvia had signed up for group therapy and an IQ test. It just so happened that Phil was helping facilitate the group she signed up for and was also on his list for an IQ test. He never told her the results of the test. Phil and Silvia were married in Lubbock, Texas on May 15, 1976. After working in community mental health centers in Greenwood, Mississippi, Kokomo, Indiana, and Yakima, Washington, Phil opened a private practice in Yakima in 1990, officially retiring in April 2024. Phil was known for his friendly, boyish charm, his love for the Lord, his vast knowledge of scripture, and his love of hymns. He was a humble man who had no regard for earthly wealth and never turned down a patient for lack of finances or insurance. He had a special gift working with children, and especially had a heart for children of divorce. He got the greatest enjoyment playing with his children and grandchildren. Phil was deeply committed to his family and to his Christian faith. He attended Tieton Drive Bible Chapel where he served as an elder for over 20 years. He had a passion for missions, the sanctity of human life, and a special burden for the persecuted church. Above all, he was a man of prayer. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Silvia, his three children, Sarah Anders (Chad), Nathan Johnson (Tirzah), and Rachel Keeton (Joseph), six grandchildren, his sisters, Karen and Mary, and special father-in-law, Forest Clough. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister, Naomi, his brother Roger, and his special mother-in-law, Sarita Clough. A Celebration of Life will be held at Tieton Drive Bible Chapel, (4305 Tieton Drive, Yakima, WA 98908), on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 11:00am. Brookside Funeral Home is caring for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.brooksidefuneral.com.