URBANA, Ill. (WAND) - A retired U.S. lawmaker who served downstate Ilinois has died at his Urbana home.
The News-Gazette reports U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, 75, was surrounded by family and friends when he passed Monday night.
Johnson served in Congress from 2001 to 2013 and was part of the Illinois House of Representatives before then. His time in the state House ran from 1977 to 2001.
In 1971, Johnson became a member of the Urbana City Council.
He never lost an election and, in his latest run, he voted onto the board of Parkland College in Champaign in 2015.
State Rep. Chris Miller issued the following statement regarding Johnson's passing:
“Today is a sad day for Illinois. Tim Johnson was a true champion of the people who understood that the key to being a good representative was being an advocate for his constituents. His constituent service was second to none and he made the people he represented his top priority. He was a great Congressman and an even better friend. My prayers are with his family. We lost a real patriot and there is no question Tim Johnson will be missed.”
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller also issued a statement about Johnson:
"Today, we learned of the passing of a great American, former Illinois Representative Tim Johnson. Congressman Tim Johnson was a dedicated advocate for downstate Illinois. He loved his family and everyone around him, and he was a comforting source of guidance and advice that I always appreciated. He served our community, state and country for over 5 decades. We'll all miss him but so many of us have great memories as well. I will miss talking with him on my way to and from DC, and Chris and I offer our heartfelt condolences to his son Buzz and the entire Johnson family."