Robert “Bob” Lee Johnson passed away on Friday, August 17, 2018, at Signature Healthcare of Lafayette, Indiana. He was born at home on January 19, 1936 in West Point, Indiana, the son of James and Sarah Ellen Johnson. He was the fifth of nine siblings, having five brothers and three sisters.

Bob attended Davis School through eighth grade and then West Point High School. Through the years, he worked as a meat cutter for McConkey Meats and Tippecanoe Meat & Fish. Then in 1974, Bob purchased the Lincoln Café located at 910 Main Street in Lafayette.

A year later, he married the true love of his life, Artie Mae Breece on May 31, 1975. The two of them were inseparable thereafter. For over 30 years, they owned and operated the Lincoln Café, working together six days a week (and for a while, seven days a week). They were renown for knowing their customers as much as for the daily homemade meals and pies. Bob made a minimum of six pies a day, six days a week for over 30 years. He was especially known for his meringue pies such as Lemon, Coconut Cream and Peanut Butter pies. He was also known for his biscuits and gravy and the ample amount of everything that he served. There were multiple years that the Lincoln was voted best breakfast and best pie in the annual Journal & Courier’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

Unfortunately, a fire in 2004 caused the Lincoln Café to close. Thereafter, both Bob and Artie continued cooking and serving food at Village Pantries in both Lafayette and West Lafayette, as well as the Romney Café in Romney.

For many years, Bob owned horses and a carriage. He truly loved spoiling his grandchildren with horse and buggy rides. Bob also thoroughly enjoyed following his beloved Purdue Boilermaker basketball teams and the Indiana Pacers.

Surviving are his wife of 43 years Artie Mae Johnson of Lafayette, and five daughters: Annie Housholder (Jerry) of Casselberry, Florida; Sharon Newell (Jeff) of Lafayette; Linda Lester of Altamont Springs, Florida; Terry VanLaere (Phil) of Lafayette; and Vickie Hardesty (Kerry) of Lafayette. There are also seven surviving grandchildren: Dan Coble of Orlando, Florida, John Hardesty (Karen) of Lafayette, Derrik VanLaere (Christine) of Jackson, Michigan; Tiffany Hardesty of Lafayette, Kyle Newell of Johannesburg, South Africa; Nathan VanLaere (Lindsey) of Lafayette; and Lauren Lester of Mount Pleasant, SC. There also are seven great-grandchildren (all of whom live in Lafayette): Arianna Walkup and Zach Walkup; Kaitlyn VanLaere and Phillip VanLaere: Justin Hardesty and Madisyn Shultheis and Emmitt VanLaere. There is also one great-great granddaughter. Bob is also survived by two of his siblings, Edward (Adele) Johnson and Roy Johnson both of Lafayette.

Bob was preceded in death by his grandson Justin Newell (1996), his parents James (1984) and Sarah Ellen (1987), and by six of his siblings, Cecil (2014), Gordon (2004), Eileen (1978), Mary (2008), Jimmy (2013), and Janet (2015).

Visitation will be at Brown Street United Methodist Church, (905 Brown Street, Lafayette, IN) on Thursday, August 23, 2018 from 4:30 p.m. until the time of funeral service at 6:00 PM (EST); Pastor Ryan Traeger to officiate.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Diabetes Association, American Kidney Foundation, or Brown Street United Methodist Church.

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