World Photo by Madeline Steege A flag flutters in the breeze above North Bend High School on Wednesday. The school’s gymnasium will be the location of the memorial service Saturday for former football coach Howard Johnson.

The Coos County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse will lead a funeral processional Saturday in honor of former North Bend High School football coach Howard Johnson.

Johnson died in a car accident near Sutherlin on Oct. 3.

“The Coos County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend its deepest sympathies to Marymae Johnson, and her family as they mourn the loss of her husband, Howard Johnson. Howard was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather,” said Sgt. Pat Downing, in a press release. “The Sheriffs Office was honored to have Howard serve as the Mounted Posse’s captain.”

Howard was serving his second term as captain with the volunteer organization.

The memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday in the North Bend High School gym. The funeral processional will follow the service. The posse will lead the processional through the streets of North Bend and Coos Bay starting at 17th Street and traveling south on Ash Street. The processional will continue across Newmark, to Oak Street, and then over to Ocean Boulevard where it will proceed to the Ocean View Memorial Gardens for graveside services. Members of the public wishing to view the processional are encouraged to access the area of Ocean Boulevard, between Vine Street and the Memorial Gardens. The processional is expected to occupy city streets for close to an hour.  

Parking at the Memorial Gardens is limited, and it is suggested that people carpool or ride one of the shuttle busses that will be available at the high school.