Johnnie Alexander Baptista Dimas, age 96, went into the loving arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday August 16, 2020.  He went peacefully while surrounded by loved ones.  From the time of his birth on June 24, 1924, he filled those around him with love and laughter and most importantly his faith that he held so dear.  He was born in Rosebud Texas to Fidel and Josephine Dimas and was the second child of eight and grew up in Waco Texas.  In 1943 at the age of 17, he enlisted in US Marine Corp and served during WWII, before being honorably discharged.  He then moved to Chicago to start a new life for himself where he met the love of his life, Mary Louise Garber.

On June 21, 1950, the longest day of the year, while on a trip with friends to Lincoln Park Zoo, they met in front of the famous Bushman's cage.  They quickly fell in love and married six months later December 21, 1950, the shortest day of the year.  That marriage which was one of much love and devotion lasted 67 years until his "honey" Mary was called home by the Lord on March 10, 2018.  During that time, Johnnie and Mary were blessed with seven children, two girls and five boys.  His children remember him as a resolute man who was also gentle, kind, loving and above all else had a deep love for the Lord.  His relationship with the Lord grew with every passing year.  Johnnie also deeply loved his family, going to any length to protect them.  Johnnie was a true renaissance man, a "jack of all trades", but had a natural talent for cooking.  He was an executive chef for 42 years showing his passion for food.  He was very handy and skilled around the house.  Johnnie was also a romantic and a proper gentleman, with a natural skill in song writing, singing, dancing, drawing and painting.  He was a perfectionist in whatever he was doing.  He passed many of these skills and talents to his children.

After the death of his true love, Mary, Johnnie moved from Wheaton where he had lived since 1956, to live with his grandson/full time care givers, Roger and Joanne (Whitham) Gilbert in Sedona Arizona, where life went on with travelling to new and old places, adventures, and joy until  the Lord called him to come home and rejoin his Honey.  He will be deeply missed by his family and loved ones, but they have confidence that they will be reunited again in Heaven.

Left behind to honor Johnnie by carrying on his faith and love are his younger brother Calixto "Kelly" (Masumi) Dimas;  his children; Johnnie (Kimberly) Dimas Jr, James (Mary Beth) Dimas, Jerald (Sandra) Dimas, Laura (Timothy) Gilbert, Joseph (Janice) Dimas, and Jeffrey (Anna) Dimas; 24 adoring  grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren with one on the way, and 2 great-great grandchildren.

He is preceded in in death by his wife, Mary L (Garber) Dimas; his parents, father (Fidel V Dimas) and mother (Josephine E Dimas), his two brothers, Fidel E Dimas and Joe E Dimas, all of his sisters, Rose D Garza, Josephine D Martinez, Eloisa Dimas, and Grace Dimas; his daughter Linda M (Dimas) Collins, and grandson James R Collins Jr.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, August 30, from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton.   Interment will be held at Chapel Hill Gardens West in Oakbrook Terrace.