Vincent "Vinnie" W. Johnson

South Portland – Vincent W. Johnson died July 19 at his home in South Portland, after a brief illness. 

He was born in the Little Falls section of Gorham on October 20, 1927, the son of John R. and Irene (Glynn) Johnson.

He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Helen Clark Johnson, and by a son, David.  He is survived by his son, Stephen and his wife, Margaret of South Portland; by three grandchildren, Rachel Love and her husband, James of Cary, NC, Miriam Johnson and her husband, Clayton Kane of Bath, ME, and Adam Johnson of East Baldwin, ME; by two great-granddaughters, Isabella and Elsie Mae Love of Cary, NC, and great-grandson, Charles Kane of Bath, ME; as well as by an “honorary daughter,” Doris Hastings of Nokomis, FL.  He is also survived by a special friend, Sigrid Austin of South Portland.

He graduated from Gorham High School in 1945, where he was Class President during his Junior and Senior years.  An outstanding athlete, he captained the basketball and baseball teams his Senior year.  He was the first person in Gorham High history to be awarded four letters and was inducted into the Gorham High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.  He attended the University of Maine at Orono where he was a member of the basketball team.

He joined the Navy in 1945 and served on Guam until his honorable discharge in June 1946.

He entered the family trucking business, Johnson Motor Transport in 1950.  After serving in various capacities, he became Vice President of Operations.  When the company was sold to Holmes Transportation in 1962, he remained as District Manager until his retirement in 1985.

He was a charter member and President of the Gorham Lions Club as well as Chairman of the Gorham Board of Selectmen.

Always interested in landscaping and gardening, he joined O’Donal’s Nurseries of Gorham in 1986, where his expertise and eccentric wit won him a large following of faithful customers until his retirement in 2000.

An outstanding senior tennis player, he was a member of the Maine Tennis Hall of Fame.  In 1970, he and long-time friend, Don Atkinson founded the prestigious, and still on-going A&J Tournament, although Vinnie once observed “it was the “A” who did all the work”.

At his request, no memorial service will be held.  

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