Carl Thomas Johnson

Carl Thomas Johnson has lived a life to be proud of. His military career, family and active participation in community service; each part possesses a record of excellence. A recent achievement has been his term as President of the Lower Burrell Lions Club. This is something that he is excited about and yes, proud of. He has only been a member of the Lions for a short period of time; not quite two years. Four months into his time volunteering he was voted in as Vice President and only months later, President. He also received the Melvin Jones Award through the Lions Club for writing an article on the club titled “Integrity within the Lions.”

Believing that keeping active keeps you healthy, Carl has always been involved in something. He spent thirty years of his life in the military; four in the marines and twenty-six in the Air Force. He was a Sgt Major in charge of Human Resources and at one point had 300,000 people under him. He was responsible for the moral and welfare of those enlisted as well as promotions. It was during this time when he was serving in the Philippians that he met his wife Zenaida. They were married in 1967. Carl also spent three years assigned to the Pentagon. When he retired was in the top 5% of people ever decorated.

After retiring from the service Carl wanted to remain active. He got a job at the New Kensington Unemployment Office and remained there for sixteen years. He also worked at the Greensburg Court House and helped establish the PIC program in 1983. His job there was to take computers and printers into the offices, set them up, and then taught people how to use them. He also worked at the Alle-Kiski Pavilion as a counselor and currently works about twenty hours a week at the Drivers License Center in New Kensington renewing licenses. “If you know how to deal with people you can do just about anything”.

Although his life was very busy, he found time to help raise ???? boys, all named Carl Thomas like their father, and a daughter, Cynthea. Why all the juniors? Well, Carl explained that when he was married he was a Sgt Major serving eight years in Vietnam. If something happened to him he wanted the family name to go on. Carl and Zenaida also have nine grandchildren three boys and six girls. None of the grandchildren so far are named Carl. He also was active volunteering as a coach for the football, basketball, and baseball little league teams.

Four kids went into the air force after their father and he is very proud of all of them. Donate a lot of money, caravan a year ago got a big lions van and went to Wolf Pack Park in lower Burrell and did eye and hearing exams People in Lower Burrell that can't afford glasses, the lions will provide. Every Christmas and thanksgiving they give away baskets to needy families in the area. Red Ribbon at Lower Burrell Schools. They meet the first and third Tuesday of the month at the American Legion Student of the month they honor, guest speakers, The lower burrell Lions was founded in 1950