Remembering Joseph Johns: A life of service and adventure

Joseph Johns, remembered on Monday as a man whose infectious smile and hearty laugh could light up any room, was celebrated at his funeral service with stories of his joy and kindness that touched countless lives.

A large crowd gathered at the Ames Center in Burnsville to honor the 40-year-old Eden Prairie man. Friends, family, and colleagues shared vivid stories of a life lived fully, whether he was fighting fires or riding his motorcycle across the country.

A tragic loss

Johns, who served as a firefighter for the Eden Prairie and Eagan fire departments, was fatally shot while off duty on Sunday, May 5, in Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the incident a homicide. Marquise Trevone Hammonds-Ford, 28, of Monticello, appeared in court Tuesday on charges related to the shooting, including first-degree riot resulting in death and illegal gun possession.

“He never met a person that he didn’t love; he never met a person he wasn’t friends with,” said Rosie Schwartz, a firefighter from Ohio, one of many friends and co-workers who spoke at Johns’ service. “You’d walk into a store, and you didn’t know each other, and you’d walk out, and you’d be like, ‘That guy’s my best friend.’ It was just the way he was.”

A celebration of life

Despite the tragic circumstances, the memorial service was a celebration of life, echoing with laughter and tears as stories of Joseph’s warmth and generosity were shared.

Johns’ brother David highlighted his impact on the community, evident in the crowd that gathered to say their final goodbyes, including many in fire uniforms and motorcycle jackets. The Ohio native had built a life rich with friendships from different walks of life since joining the Eden Prairie Fire Department in 2015.

“How many people you know in nine years can touch this many people to be in one auditorium?” David said.

David expressed his appreciation to the various groups that had touched his brother’s life.

“To his family from Eden Prairie, thank you. To his family from Eagan, thank you. To the Johns family, thank you. And to his friends from a motorcycle club that he was very dear to, Tru Breed, thank you,” David said. “Most people have one family; Joseph is leaving with four.”

A life of service

Eden Prairie Fire Chief Scott Gerber and Eagan Fire Chief Hugo Searle stood side by side on stage as they spoke near the start of the service.

Gerber recounted Johns’ fire service journey, which began on September 2, 2015, when he was hired as a part-time duty crew firefighter in Eden Prairie. In 2020, Johns joined the Eagan Fire Department as a full-time career firefighter, where he fought fires and worked as an emergency medical technician, fire inspector, and fire apparatus operator.

Searle said Johns exemplified service above self in his work in both departments.

“His love for driving and operating our engines and ladders excelled, even though his firefighting skills were exemplary,” Searle said. “His desire to train and improve his skills and to improve the skills of the department stand out as a legacy for all.”

Gerber said there is a program called the Red Folder Program in Eden Prairie. It requires each firefighter to place critical information on a document regarding a serious injury or line-of-duty death.

“As the fire chief, I hope I never have to open a red folder, but when you do have to open one, you hope that you’re able to find information that will help the family and the fire department family navigate a challenging time just a little bit better,” Gerber said. “I had to open a folder on Sunday, May 5.”

Gerber said Johns provided valuable information in this folder to help notify his family and assist with funeral plans.

“Joseph wrote a few words that we believe you should hear and keep in mind as we go through the memorial service today and beyond,” Gerber said. “Joseph wrote, ‘Don’t cry. Everyone has an expiration date. Cherish the good memories and go out and make more of them.'”

A passion for motorcycles

More than anything, Johns loved riding his motorcycle, which was parked outside the funeral service. His adventurous spirit led him to travel through every state in the continental U.S. and parts of Ireland.

Ronson “Chill” Beard, national president of the Tru Breed Motorcycle Club, to which Johns belonged, said they were celebrating the club’s 19th anniversary when the shooting that claimed Johns’ life occurred.

“I know we have all these emotions,” Beard said. “I try to keep people from acting off emotions. People are angry, hurt, sad. It’s been a long week for me.”

Beard described Johns as loving, kind, charismatic, funny, just a “solid dude.” He said Miles was loved, and his fellow members would follow him anywhere.

“That man was just happy if he got on his bike and rode one mile or 3,000,” Beard said. “It didn’t matter to him as long as he could get on his motorcycle. It’s hard losing somebody like that, but he’s the true meaning of a ground pounder. That’s what we call people that get on that highway and just go, from Florida to L.A. It didn’t matter to him. He’d do it, he’d set up the schedule, and he’s just gone.”

E.J. Matthews, serving as Tru Breed’s vice national president, described Johns as irreplaceable within the club.

“If you have Miles next to you, you got somebody that’s going to be there to the end, not going to leave your side, going to stay with you like a real brother or real sister is supposed to do,” Matthews said.

Matthews told those at the service that honoring Johns won’t stop there.

“We’re going to ride and represent and honor that man’s name going forward, and it ain’t just about Tru Breed, it’s not just about the two fire departments that he represented,” Matthews said. “It’s about all of us.”

His colleagues remember

Eagan Fire Department battalion chief Jessica Hoffman got to know Johns during his early days in the department, describing him as a loyal, caring person with an unbeatable sense of humor.

“His love for others and his ability to connect with people on a very human level made him someone that you wanted in your life,” Hoffman said. “Not only was he a very loyal and caring person, but he had an unbeatable sense of humor that would often end with a room full of laughter.”

Eden Prairie Assistant Fire Chief Justin Johnson said people remember Johns for his “genuine smile, contagious laugh, caring heart, maybe his insanely loud snore, or being fashionably five minutes late.”

Johnson said all these descriptions accurately capture his late colleague, but one memory that particularly stands out for him is Johns’ “big teddy bear hugs.”

“He was always the first to champion your life’s highs with a massive hug and an amazing laugh and celebration or to comfort you in life’s lows with yet another hug, often crying with you because that’s how deeply he cared,” Johnson said. “It was just in his DNA.”

Eagan firefighter Chago Huerta joked that he debated being five minutes late to Johns’ eulogy because “that would be fitting of Joseph, who always thought being five minutes late was right on time.”

Huerta described Johns as a hero, a friend, and a shining example of what it meant to live a life of service and kindness.

“My favorite memories about Joseph were our long talks,” Huerta said. “We would talk for hours about anything from fire tactics to life goals to what his next trip was. No matter how serious the conversation, Joseph always made sure to make me laugh. I know many of you in this room have also shared those similar long talks.

“I will not only miss those long talks but also the sound of Joseph’s motorcycle peeling out of the parking lot every morning at 6:01 a.m., once the weather was just warm enough, a man who was never early but always in a hurry to get to the next place.”

Eden Prairie firefighter Sarah Roque said Johns had been with the department for a year before she started.

Roque said his encouragement and enthusiasm in her early days as a firefighter made him stand out. It didn’t take long for them to become good friends. They purposely chose shifts to work and learn together.

“Joe was a kind soul, a vibrant spirit, and he had a positive outlook on life,” Roque said. “One of the many things I admired about Joe was that he wasn’t just there to do his job. He was there to lift up others, championing their potential and pushing them to be their best selves. He was never content with just improving his own skills. He was always eager to lend a helping hand and share his knowledge with those around him.”

Joseph Johns’ service can be viewed here.