Jay Andrew Johnson
February 3, 1972 ~ January 13, 2015
Jay A. Johnson, 42, Brandon, died Tuesday, January 13, 2015, from a sudden health issue.
Family visitation will be 5-7pm, Friday, January 16, 2015, at Heartland Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 1pm, Saturday, January 17, also at Heartland Funeral Home with Lee Green officiating. Interment will follow at Brandon Lutheran Cemetery.
Jay Andrew Johnson was born February 3, 1972, to K. Joe and Marion (Baldwin) Johnson. He was raised and attended school in Brandon. Jay worked with his father in the family business at Rainbow Sports Cards. His other interest was buying and fixing up houses. He was self-taught in construction and he wasn’t afraid to attempt anything. This also was a business he and the love of his life, Jessica could do together. They were married on July 13, 1990 in Sioux Falls and were inseparable. Their life revolved around their three children, Typhinie, Courtland, and Mikayla. More recently, his grandchildren, Jaydalynn and Krosby, dominated “Papa’s” love, time and attention.
Jay liked to keep life simple; work, family, and friends. Whether it was just hanging out at home, fishing at the river, and camping at Lake Thompson, Jay just enjoyed being with his family or friends.
Jay will be deeply missed by his wife, Jessica; three children, Typhinie (Tommy) Carland, Sioux Falls, Courtland Johnson and Mikayla Johnson, of Brandon; his mother, Marion Johnson, Sioux Falls; two grandchildren, Jaydalynn and Krosby; three siblings, Mike (Debbie) Johnson, Sioux Falls, Adam (Carol) Johnson, Brandon, and Jody (Bill) Sundvold, Garretson, SD; and several nieces and nephews.
Jay is preceded in death by his father, K. Joe Johnson and one brother, Joseph Johnson.
Jessica and family –
I went to high school with Jay. The only time I saw him lately was at the store. He was the same Jay I remember from 25 years ago…always a smile and a twinkle in his eye!
I’m very sorry for your loss and pray that God blesses you as you honor his life and adjust to the loss.
EE
So sorry to hear that Jay has passed away. I would see him often at Rainbow Sports Cards. He would always greet me with a smile and wave. He will be missed.
Jessica and kids, we are so very sorry for your loss. While the pain and shock of this sudden loss will seem to overwhelm you, please focus on all the great memories and love that was shared; and know that you are all in our prayers. We are only a phone call away if you need anything.
Rose, Linda, and Brandon Rhead
Wow, what a surprise to me and someone I know that is so young and fun loving. — Jessica, Typhinie, Courtland and Mikayla, I are so very sorry for your loss. The overwhelming of this sudden loss is great but focus that God must have wanted such a great guy by him. I will remember the memories of him at softball games and love he had for his wife and children. I will also miss the occasional chats when working on home by us.
My deepest sympathies
Kevin K Callies
What a great man and he was always a joy to be around. My deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Jay’s family and friends.
Jay was more than a friend to me. He was family. I have been going to Rainbow Sportscards ever since I was a small boy. I’m 25 now and Jay didn’t just give me a place to go to buy comics. He gave me a place where I felt safe. Loved. A place where I could be myself and I always felt welcome. Jay loved life. He was always smiling, joking, laughing and being an overall genuine person. He gave me my first job. He gave me my first raise. He gave me a passion to be myself and let the little problems of life not bother me. He gave me the confidence to do greater things and taught me so much over the years. He was a dear dear friend who will be missed immensely. I’ll always love you Jay-brah. To all his friends and family please know Jay was always and will always be loved and cherished as one of the best people I have ever had the pleasure to meet and be a part of my life. He will always have a spot in my heart and will be a man I never forget.
Jay was family to us, always joking and fun to be around. He made you feel welcome and he truly cared about people and their families. My sons have been going to the store since grade school and are now in their teens and 20s, thank you Jay for being a great influence on my sons and sharing your,joy and kind heart with my family we will never forget you.
Kathy,John, Dylan,Garrett and John Paul.
Jessica and family we were all so saddened to hear of Jay’s passing. We will keep you in our prayers. All your friends at Casey’s in Brandon.
jay
the Biggest of them all
meaning his heart was not so small
his cards sold in his fathers store
and built it up to so much more
from antiques to joyful treasure
his generosity with out measure
the many talks and jibes shared
we knew his joking meant he cared
my friend for 15 years
his passing for all brings many tears
Jay, you will be missed! Jessica and family I am hurt to hear this news. Jay was always a good friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Jay was a special person. I was glad to know him. I enjoyed working for him for 15 years at the Rainbow Sportscards store in Sioux City. He will be greatly missed. My sorrow and condolences go out to his family.
Don Bratetic
I probably haven’t seen Jay since high school at BV. My heart aches for him and his family tonight. I remember playing on Jay’s YMCA basketball team back in 4th and 5th grade. My prayers go out to the family that God will grant you peace and healing at this time.
Jason Larson
I guess you can say that I was a long time customer at Jays Store. I would regularly go to Rainbow Sportcards to hang out and support my LCS (local comic shop). Jay was always in a great mood even on the worst of days. Sundays were usually the days I would stop by for a few hours as a picked out single cards, Jay and myself would give each other a hard time in a joking manor. He had such a great sense of humor. He will be missed by all of us. My thoughts go out to all his friends and family.
I recently moved to Texas and the last time I spoke with Jay was in August and hearing what happened puts me in shock and I wish I had an opportunity to come back this weekend to spend time with the people that ment the most to him at Rainbow.
Jessie and kids
Our deepest sympathy to your whole family. May Gods love be a comfort to you during this time of sorrow.
Devastated. God works in mysterious ways.My heart goes out to Jay’s family, Jess and the kids and grandkids.Taken too soon, he will be missed and thought of often. When I was around 11 years old my older brother was taken from us. One day he was there, next day he was not. Nothing in my life has devastated me like that since. Until this week. Truly, I’ve lost a brother, more than a brother. In the 30 years I’ve known Jay, I learned he was wise beyond his years.That’s why he was the boss. Jay would work through any situation when others would’ve given up. Friends from the beginning, we witnessed each others families grow. We probably spent more waking hours with each other than we did our families. Nothing will ever be the same. We are a ship without a captain. Love you and miss you.
I don’t know what to say. Jay hired me in 2001 on little more than faith that I could do the job, and soon after that he just gave me the reins and let me run. I hope I repaid his faith over the years. The loyalty he showed to myself and John Nordstrom over the years was nothing short of amazing.
My overwhelming thought right now is how Jay opened the store up to so many people and let it be more than a weekly stop. For many people, especially an entire generation of now-grown-up kids, Rainbow became a home away from home. Jay would grumble about some of them being there for 4-5-6 hours at a time, but I know he secretly loved it. He ended up hiring a lot of those kids to their first jobs, and I know he wished he could have hired them all. Jay was the cool uncle they could joke with, an adult they knew would let them have a little fun. All of them have asked me to pass along to the family their thanks, their sorrow, and their offers of support if needed.
The number of e-mails, phone calls, and texts I’ve gotten the last few days has been astonishing. 30 years worth of Sioux Falls collectors are mourning right now. Every single one of them has asked me to share their condolences with the family. Customers are coming from as far away as Minneapolis to pay their respects. In this day and age, that speaks volumes about the man Jay was.
Jay’s special joy the last couple of years was his grandkids. He would leave early to “go get something done” but we all knew he was going home to play dollies with his JadaBean. He talked endlessly about Jada and Crosby, and showed off pictures, and doted on them like the best grandpapa in the world.
All of that being said, I’m going to miss my friend – I hadn’t really thought of Jay as “boss” in years. He was good to me, and to my family. The friends I made through the store and made part of my family became part of his extended family as well. There is this huge gap torn in my life right now.
Mikayla and family – So sorry for the loss of your dad. Find peace in his memories and know that his spirit will always be with you.
The death of a loved one is never an easy thing to deal with, especially when it is sudden. We will be thinking about you Jesse, and your family. Our prayers for your memories and healing will be ongoing.
Sympathies,
Rick, Penny and Mason Young
In 1991, Jay opened his hand of friendship to me. I still remember that day, the very first time i asked him a question about comics, he laughed and said, “If it’s not about Usagi Yojimbo…sorry I can’t help you.” For several seconds, i didn’t know what to say until he started laughing out loud and said…”Yep. Come on over and I’ll show you what I’ve got for old Avengers comics.” In the days that followed, he took the time and told me about his store, introduced me to all his employees, asked me about my family, shared a story about his dad and why he still enjoyed his job. As a fellow father and husband, he made it perfectly clear to me…he enjoyed his job because it allowed him to spend time and support his family, plus meet new people and talk shop with his customers. I knew that day, I had found a kindred soul. Jay cared for people in a way that is so uncommon…his loss will be felt by many and impact those lives he touched tremendously. To Jessica and his family, please know my thoughts and prayers are with you.
I am not sure what to say. I have been going to rainbow for 12-13 years, since I was about eight years old. Jay made it like a second home for me. I met many friends through rainbow who have made me who I am today. He always welcomed us with a smile, even when it was every day over the summers for more than 6 hours a day. Rainbow was our place of joy and excitement. Jay, thank you for everything you did, it made my childhood.
I knew Jay as the owner of my favorite store in the whole world. Every time I went into Rainbow and he was at the counter I was greeted with a big smile and always knew he would have a few quips for me. If I founds some good comics on the dollar wall, he would always say, “can’t beat those cheap reads”. He will be missed greatly by a whole lot of comic and sports geeks. He was the leader of my LCS, something that I hold close to me. You will be missed greatly Jay, and my thoughts go out to your whole family.
I have a comic book TV show on the internet and we will be dedicating our next episode to Jay’s life.
-Tom Devine
Marion and family,
I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of your son, Jay. My thoughts and prayers are with you.