Thomas (Tom) Lee Johnson, age 73, of West Chicago, went peacefully to be with his Lord on Monday, December 3, 2018, following a four-month battle with cancer.

Tom was born on April 30, 1945, in Oakland, California, and spent much of his youth in South Dakota and Illinois. His father, Wallace, was a minister and his mother, Raechel (Oslund), was a homemaker. His four grandparents, Elof and Jennie Johnson and August and Hannah Oslund, emigrated from Sweden to the United States in the late 19th century.

Tom is survived by his loving wife and friend of more than 50 years, Virginia (Ginger) Van Der Molen Johnson, and his three sons and their spouses (his "daughters"), Soren and Ever (Horan) Johnson of Leesburg, VA, and their children, Ever, Owen, Berend, Virginia, and Charlie; Derek Johnson and Carolyn Hutchinson of Lake Forest, IL, and their children, Vivian and Anders; and Kirk and Marie-Josée (Cantin) Johnson of Los Angeles, CA, and their children, August and Isidora. He is also survived by his two brothers and their spouses, David and Marianne (Hess) Johnson of Mendota Heights, MN, and Paul and Pat (Joslyn) Johnson, of Decorah, IA, as well as 19 nieces and nephews and 30 great-nieces and nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Rae Johnson.

Tom worked hard to pattern a life of service around his personal faith, his family, and his deep-seated commitment to basic American ideals. Tom graduated from Oak Lawn Community High School (IL) in 1963. From 1966-68, Tom served in the U.S. Army, including a tour of duty in Vietnam (1967-68). Tom pursued his interest in law, receiving degrees from the University of Michigan (B.A., Political Science) in 1970 and DePaul University College of Law (J.D.) in 1974. Following law school, Tom joined the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office as Assistant State's Attorney, where he became chief of the White Collar Crime Division.

In 1979, he co-founded a private practice, Johnson & Westra, in Wheaton, IL. He took his first steps toward public office when he entered the 1984 race for the 14th U.S. Congressional District, campaigning door-to-door in 550 precincts, losing the race by just 776 votes. In 1993, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives and served the 50th District until 2003. While in the House, Tom chaired the Judiciary Committee and was co-chairman of the Illinois Prison Reform Committee. From 2011-13, Tom was the Illinois State Senator for the 48th District. He was an effective legislator, known for consistently and respectfully reaching across the aisle to find common ground. Tom carried out the convictions of his beliefs in legislation which supported the sanctity of life, the family, and the dignity of every person. He heeded the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:36 ("I was in prison, and you visited me."), serving as a tireless advocate for the dignity of the incarcerated and former inmates, as a reformer of the correctional system, and as a vocal proponent of legislation which abolished the death penalty in Illinois. After elective office, Tom was appointed by the governor to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and served for 14 years.

Tom also served on the boards of Missionary Furlough Homes Foundation, Greater Europe Mission, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Initiative, and Wheaton Youth Outreach, and the advisory board of Illinois Citizens for Life. In addition to their deep commitment to Wheaton Bible Church, Tom and Ginger welcomed refugees from Ukraine, Iraq, and Hurricane Katrina into their home, often for years at a time.

Tom lived a profoundly rich life as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, lawyer, public servant, friend, and mentor. In each of these vocations, Tom cultivated a deep and daily dependence on the Lord. He was widely respected as a man of conviction, integrity, courage, wisdom, fairness, and good humor. In all things, he partnered with the love of his life, Ginger. His sons and their wives and his grandchildren were his greatest pride and joy. He encouraged each of them to go out into the world with a spirit of humility, a dedication to service, and a belief that there is virtue in working to solve problems, both large and small. At the end of a long day, Tom loved nothing more than fishing with his three sons in their backyard along the DuPage River, tooling around his barn workshop, and tending to a menagerie of horses, chickens, geese, and goats. On Saturdays, he could often be found golfing with his sons and friends. For the last 11 summers, Tom and Ginger ran Camp We-Go G-G, a week-long adventure for their grandchildren at their home—no parents allowed.

C.S. Lewis wrote that life in this world and all our adventures are only the cover and the title page, that death brings the "beginning of Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before." Tom's life in this world was filled with faith, love, and commitment. Those he left behind will mourn him deeply. As he begins his chapter in Heaven, may his example inspire us.

Visitation will be held on Friday, December 28, 2018, from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Wheaton Bible Church , 27W500 North Ave., in West Chicago. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 29, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. at the Wheaton Bible Church. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Tom's name may be made to World Relief DuPage , 191 S. Gary Ave. #130, Carol Stream, IL 60188; or to Puente del Pueblo, 1200 Kings Circle, Unit 17, West Chicago, IL 60185.