A highly-respected former independent shopkeeper described as a” true gentleman” has died.

Russell Johnson, who ran the family business Johnson’s of Rainham for nearly 70 years, passed away suddenly at his home. He was 77.

Among those to pay tribute to him was daughter Julie Short who, after his beloved wife Jane died six years ago, visited her dad almost every day.

It was Julie who discovered Mr Russell on her 53rd birthday collapsed at his bungalow in Rainham, which is just yards away from his old ironmongery and hardware store in Station Road.

He died the following day on June 12 at a London hospital having suffered a massive brain bleed.

Up until his death, Mr Russell, although retired, had been healthy and active in the community.

He was a regular at the nearby Mackland Arms where he had been treasurer of the social club, organising outings, and where he enjoyed a game of shove ha’penny.

He played snooker with his mate at a club in Rainham Precinct every Thursday.

Fittingly, he was a dab hand at DIY, loved going to garden centres with Julie and tended to his own patch at his home in Henry Street. He was pulling out weeds with his neighbour the day before he fell ill.

Johnson’s of Rainham, which closed in April 2013, built up a reputation as the place where “If you can’t get it at Johnson’s, forget it”.

The shop was opened by his father Bob Johnson in 1942 and, after taking an apprenticeship, he followed in his footsteps when he was a teenager.

He recalled that at one time competition was stiff and there were seven other similar businesses in the town. But with more people shopping online and at big chain stores along with increased running costs, he made the heartbreaking decision to shut down.

During his career, he was the national president of BIRA (British Independent Retail Association) representing the sector at meetings across the country. He also played a key role in the British Hardware Federation.

Despite this commitment, he continued to serve behind the counter, introducing new product lines, learning how to cut glass and delivering paraffin, Calor gas and cement.

It was in his formative years that he joined the Arcadia School of Dancing in Gillingham where a young ballroom dancer, Jane, swept him off his feet.

Friends set up a blind date at a coffee bar opposite the academy, and the rest is history.

They got engaged on Valentine’s Day 1965 and were married at St Margaret’s Church in Rainham in August 1969.

A reception at the Central Hotel in Gillingham set them back £138 and that included a sit-down wedding breakfast and wine.

The couple’s love of dancing flourished and they entered competitions and took short dance break holidays.

They went on to have a daughter, Julie, and son, Dean, and they have four grandchildren - Robert, Ashley, Ella and Callum.

With the arrival of Julie, they soon outgrew the flat above the shop and moved to a property along the road bought by Mr Johnson senior, just in time for the birth of Dean in 1973.

They spent 21 years there doing it up before moving to his current home in 1993 where Julie said he still had a “to-do” list of improvements to be carried out.

Jane died in June 2018, aged 68, exactly 55 years to the day of that blind date.

Mum-of-two Julie, who lives nearby in Rainham with her new husband Greg, described her dad as a “ true gent, who’d always hold open the door for ladies”.

She said: “He always wore a shirt and tie and shaved every day.

“He wouldn't be able to walk out the door without somebody saying hello. He knew everyone.”

Jane, a paediatric nurse, is grateful that while mourning the loss of her much-loved dad he was able to go to their wedding last September.

It was held at a beachside hotel in Dawlish Warren in Devon, a favourite ballroom dancing venue of Russell and Jane’s.

And it's where Jane and her family have chosen to scatter his ashes.

In his memory, donations can be made to the Rainy Day Trust, a cause close to his heart. The charity supports the home improvement workforce and their families in times of need.

Bira chief executive Andrew Goodacre expressed his condolences and said: "Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Russell, people in Bira have told me that he was a very talented man and well respected within the industry.

“We remember him fondly as he was a very active member. We send our deepest condolences to his family.

“Mr Johnson's commitment to the industry and community has left an indelible mark, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him."

The funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 18 at 3pm at the Garden of England Crematorium, Bobbing.

For more details, click here.

Friends, family, and colleagues are invited to attend and pay their respects.