By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Former state Senator and Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Sidney Johnson has died.
Johnson was born in Sedalia. His family moved to St. Joseph when he was two, eventually settling in Agency where the family ran a farm.
Johnson, a Democrat, won election as Buchanan County Collector, Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner, and Missouri state Senator. Johnson served 12 years in the Missouri Senate, where he served as Assistant Majority Leader and chaired seven committees during his tenure.
Johnson served as Presiding Commissioner from 1983 to 1990. He won election to the Missouri Senate in 1990 and won re-election in 1994 and 1998.
Johnson also served as the Missouri Tourism Commission and presided as president of the Missouri Association of Counties.
Sidney Johnson was 80.
This article has been updated since first published.