Former Gazette publisher passes away

Southern Denton County has lost a community servant.

Flower Mound resident LaRue Johnson, 72, passed away on Friday.

Johnson owned a printing business and was the former publisher of The Cross Timbers Gazette. She also served as secretary of the Bartonville Water Corporation for several years.

Johnson and her family moved to Double Oak in the fall of 1981 and she became a volunteer editor of what was then called The Double Oak Gazette in 1982.

After relocating to west Flower Mound in 1986, Johnson kept assisting the Gazette, eventually becoming the publisher.

Johnson changed the name of the publication to The Cross Timbers Gazette in 2001 and sold the newspaper in 2006 to current publisher, Max Miller.

She stayed involved with the Gazette after selling it by handling the mailing each month and continued to serve area small businesses with her printing service.

Johnson leaves behind her husband of 50 years, Steve, three sons, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.