LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Family, friends, and colleagues gathered at Hertz Arena in Estero to say goodbye to a Fort Myers native and Seminole Police Lieutenant who passed away last week.
65-year-old Joseph P. Johnson of the Seminole Police Department died May 30th after a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 27 in Palm Beach County on May 29th, as he was traveling between Seminole reservations.
Funeral services began at 1 p.m. Wednesday, for Lt. Johnson at Hertz Arena in Estero. They were preceded by a visitation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the same location. No funeral procession was planned.
Lt. Johnson was born in Fort Myers and graduated from Naples High School and Florida Southwestern State College.
After serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Lt. Johnson began his career in law enforcement with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, where he retired as a lieutenant after 26 years of dedicated service. He became a captain with the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Seminole Police Department, where he served for 10 years.
“Lt. Johnson’s dedication and devotion to serving the community will never be forgotten,” said William Latchford, executive director of public safety for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. “He is a man of many years of experience in law enforcement and he served the Seminole Tribe with distinction.”
Lt. Johnson is survived by his wife of 21 years, Nadereh, daughters Ariana and Cara, three grandchildren, siblings Maggie, Grady and Jeanette and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in his honor to the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida.
