I did not get the privilege of knowing brother Johnson for very long but he was and is a wonderful man who loves the Savior Jesus Christ and His gospel to the core. It was what he loved more than anything else in life. He was always so eager to share his testimony of the gospel and its significance in his own life and family. He never shied away from the opportunity to share his testimony and I appreciate the sweet love he had for his wife. They are powerful examples to many of discipleship and dedication to what matters most. I share my condolences for the loss of such a wonderful husband and friend. Sincerely, Robert Soulier
Never forget the rescue in Mt Shasta city on your return home!!
Butchering the pigs and cutting them with Art Thomas!!
The buried pig at he church grounds, and of course milk and donuts on the road cleanup.
I have known John for many years. He is my brother in-law and friend. A man of much spirit and knowledge. I look forward to seeing him again somewhere down the road.
Mike Hershberger
A memory that has always stood out to me was when our kids were little. Jacob was less that a year old. Mike at that time traveled for work and I was really sick. We were living in WV and you lived in Magna. I called your Dad and asked if he would come over and give me a blessing. It was after 8pm. He came over and was all dressed up, and I told him he didnt need to dress up, but he told me he was doing the Lords work, so yes he did. That has always stayed with me.
He was always willing to do things for us and he did so happily.
Another memory was when Aunt Melanie passed He and Lou came up to the funeral. Even though he was sick he had a smile on his face and to those that didn't know he was sick he looked normal. I have been sick forever it seems and I have always tried doing that, but it is soo hard to do. I was impressed that even though he was really struggling with something new at the time, that he was happy and no one knew he was dealing with something.
John will be missed for sure. We sure loved him.
I think John had a patent or two on things he invented, but the only one I remember I called a "water pick". I don't know what it was really called, but I know what it did.
Using high-pressured water (or some liquid), that thing could cut through METAL like a hot knife through butter. I never saw it in action, but I saw the results on a block of metal. Quite impressive. I hope Lou can tell more about his inventions.
A couple of things about John and animals.
I'm a cat lover, so I asked John if he liked cats. He said yes, with barbecue sauce.
However, he seems to have had an affinity for mice. He had the critters around his house in Magna. He would catch them in a live trap and throw them into a fallow wheat field on his way to work.
A mouser would have taken care of that but would have to look out for the barbecue sauce.
I have a few memories of when John was in college in Ricks and in Utah.
I went to visit John and Lou, as well as my dad. John invited me to go to one of his classes with him, it was robotics. Keep in mind this was quite a while ago and robotics was fairly new. Quite impressive to see these mechanical arms moving around unassisted. I also noticed there were no women in the class but apparently mechanical engineering was for men only at that time.
I was able to go to John's graduation for his bachelor's degree. After that he was in a doctorate program at BYU, I think it was called Industrial Engineering. For some reason the school cancelled the program and the few people in the program were awarded Masters degrees instead of doctorates. John was really devastated so it's something we never talked about.
Another interesting thing about college was at graduation he commented about the students who were suma and magna whatevers. Apparently they were English majors and John pointed out they were not engineers.
I don't think I ever realized how smart John was. When I went to college my major was English. He never said anything about it. :-)
When I was eight or nine I started making a chocolate chip cookie called Moonrocks. Everyone loved them, especially my two brothers John and Dan.
When John left home, I think the mission came before college, I would make cookies and send them to him.
This was a super secret recipe. When John and Lou got married, I gave her the recipe. But every now and then I would still send Moonrocks. Most recently I was trying to gather all the sugar-free ingredients so I could send them to him but unfortunately I was having trouble with SF chocolate chips and did not get the cookies to him.
I think John is now getting all the Moonrocks he wants.
John shared this with me: One day he was working on his car and his first born, Robert, was old enough to "help". So Robert got a screw driver and pried up all the emblems from the car and proudly presented them to his dad. According to John, he and Robert put them back and Robert did not get in trouble.
John loved being a dad.
My name is Michael Baker, and I had the opportunity to work with Elder Johnson while he was serving his full-time mission in Concord, California. We had the pleasure of working with jobseekers who although they needed a job, also needed to feel the Saviors love too! Elder Johnson would start each day with a devotional and prayer to help him to have the spirit with him as he ministered to the one. Throughout the mission Elder Johnson had a sense of urgency and a desire to help everyone. I know The Lord is continuing to have him teach and bless others still seeking to know about the gospel on the other side of the veil. I'm heartbroken he is not with his sweet wife and family at this time but also know beyond any doubt that he is continuing to serve. May the Holy Ghosts comforting influence be with Sister Johnson at this time!
Something funny: one day before church, John and Lou were in the hallway. I watched as John wheeled up to my wife and asked "when is the baby due?" My wife responded that she wasn't pregnant, but just gaining weight. To this response, John stared at her a second, turned, and drove away like nothing had happened.
A second favorite funny memory happened every Christmas. John would show up donning his Santa hat and Elf booties. He loved Christmas.
Something grateful: John went out of his way to engage with my children. He paid them to work on Delphi Ranch, make hats, and encouraged them to help clean the Church each week. John also helped my son buy me a chainsaw for my birthday last year. So far, it has cut at least 6 cords wood for my family and build up "the widow wood supply."
Something Spiritual: John has a deep love for the Savior and the Church. He expressed his undying devotion to his family and expressed his love and concern for his posterity. Before his mission, he asked me to come and council him and Nettie Lou. While we discussed his thoughts sand fears, I felt an overpowering feeling that the Lord accepted their sacrifices and desires to serve. Their service was accepted in full and blessings were assured.
God bless Nettie Lou, John, and all their family. Know that John is currently engaged in continued good works and is concerned for your welfare.
JJ and I served together in the Keno Branch presidency and took the opportunity to visit nearly every family in the branch . JJ didn’t like dogs. One family we visited had a Jack Russell terrier (terror) that, after bouncing off the walls, perched on JJ’s chest and stared I’m I’m the eye as if to say, “You will like me!” Brother Kiger and I just had to laugh at the look on JJ’s face.
Many folks didn’t appreciate JJ. He could be somewhat overbearing at times. But they didn’t appreciate that he would literally give them the shirt off his back.
When he began losing mobility he would sit on a five-gallon bucket during service projects (usually splitting firewood) and encourage the rest of us. He would be there and he usually brought doughnuts.
He was so pleased with his solar array and other projects.
He was so desirous to serve a senior mission. He wanted proselytizing but was happy to serve as called and was grateful to serve with Lou.
I loved JJ, he was my ornery, cantankerous brother.
JJ used to tell me about being in Karate and his coach suggested that to become more agile in karate he should sign up for ballet. So he did and was the only male ballet member so he was always the one to do the lifts. He was very strong with his upper body which helped.
He was scheduled to be the Mouse King in the Nutcracker performance, until not long before the performance he had to tell them that he would not be able to do the performance as he was going to be on his mission. He only had like three weeks from the time that his mission call caught up with him as he was not living with his parents at the time.
We were on our way up to visit you (likely for D&D) and stopped to get ice cream or dinner (I can't remember which) just as you're coming into Wilbur. He and your mom happened to be there, and they bought us dinner AND dessert! We all got to sit together and chat too. It was nice.
I'm John's little sister. Before the story, a little background.
Older brothers like to harass little sisters and mine was no different. While I was washing dishes, he would drink a glass of milk and put the glass on the bar between the two sides of the sink. He did it because he knew it drove me nuts. Now, on to the real story.
I was a young teenager, John four years older. I grew very tall very young. Trust me, this is important, because I was already taller than John.
He was taking karate lessons. Everyday he would come to me and put his cat-fur-covered sock and foot in my face in that typical karate move. You know the one, it's accompanied by "yi-ahh" sound effects.
One day, I had enough. Using all my height and strength, I grabbed that foot dangling in front of my face and threw it up toward the ceiling, taking his leg with it while landing him flat on his back.
"Oompf" said John. "JOHN!" shrieked I.
I was mortified, got down on the floor. "I'm so sorry! Are you ok".
To which he replied, "what happened?"
He never did it again.
Uncle John made the coolest metal empty cube with a sphere or cube inside it. I asked Him how he made it. He said, "One molecule at a time".
An extraordinary man. Tremendous intellect, great sense of humor. Mostly I remember him as a great scriptorian and as a loyal friend.
Elder and Sister Johnson arrived in the mission just in time for a senior FHE. They introduced themselves with a cute, fun song showing they enjoy life together. It was sweet to see them serving as they promised each other so many years ago a senior mission in spite of Elder Johnson’s health challenges. Elder Johnson was a set apart missionary with a missionary tag when he passed. We mourn with your family as Elder Johnson was transferred to the other side of the veil. Surely he is still serving with heart, might, mind and strength on the other side.
Sending love to you Sister Johnson and your family during this tender and sacred time.
JJ was a valued member of the Farmnet, 3937 KC. on ham radio. We didn't know him personally but he was always checking in most days. We will miss hearing his voice. I will announce his passing to the group this evening, 10/2/26. He will be greatly missed by the Farmnet member.
Shawnne Tessman-Mc Kenna, KF0AUW, net manager.
Deb remembers when Lou and John were engaged to be married. John had a job for the summer in the oil fields of Wyoming. He would often come to our house in West Point for the weekends. One of the first things he did was to move a picture of Lou to front and center of the shelf. He often talked of all of her great qualities. I know John loved his sweet wife deeply. He loved having her by his side. Bob loved having John with us during that summer. John and Bob got really close and they both thought highly of each other.
Deb remembers when she was working on Selar’s life history, John was very interested. One time John was there and about halfway through John asking Selar lots of questions, for the information as well as questions to clarify what Selar had said, we suddenly remembered to grab the tape recorder so we could get down all of the information. I think John had a hard time believing some of what Selar was telling by the way John responded to some of Selar’s answers. It was hard for many to believe because Selar’s life was so different and the Army he served in did things so differently than is done now. Selar had a hard life, but I remember how interested John was in learning about his father-in-law's life and experiences. He seemed to be interested in learning what he could about other people.
Deb knows John loved the gospel and he was very knowledgeable in its doctrine. He loved to teach and was a good teacher. He loved to serve in the church and had many callings that blessed him and his family. He loved to sing and knew how to sing on key and with expression. I think he was always in the ward choir. He went to the temple often and loved serving there. The gospel was a major part of his life. He planned family trips around the Sabbath because he felt that was one way keep the day holy.
John had a good heart. He often asked us if he could do things for us to help us out. He cared about others and was willing to help them financially as well as physically.
John was a hard worker. He made many improvements on their ranch in Klamath Falls and using his engineering skills, he always came up with cool inventions to help out at the ranch. Bob and John worked together on installing a new metal roof on Selar and Elva’s home.
Bob remembers when he and Rex, and John and Robert hiked to Table Rock. John struggled but was determined and made it all the way. It was an accomplishment for all of them. They had fun together and had a good time.
While exploring Crater Lake, I kept taking pictures including " group selfies". John teased how selfies were signs of vanity... I told him it wasn't vanity to want to remember being in such a beautiful place. He willingly posed for group selfies after that.
Crater Lake
It's Raining Garbage
Growing up on a ranch involved a lot of chores. For me, one such chore was to burn the garbage when the burn barrels got full. Like most kids, I felt that chores were a thing to get through as quickly as possible; particularly when completing a chore came at the expense of something I'd much rather be doing.
One year, just after Christmas when I was a teenager, while messing around with my shiny new gifts, I was reminded by my Dad that the burn barrels were full and that I needed to burn the garbage that night. The holidays generate an inordinate amount of trash. After procrastinating the entire day, I was forced to tackle the chore in a hurry, as it was getting late. With speed in mind, I recalled a time when I had watched my dad utilize about a cup of gas from the blue gas can he kept in the back of the tool shed. So, I ran across the crunchy snow to the tool shed.
(When I say crunchy snow, I mean the type of snow that is just hard enough to make you think it will hold you, but then the surface breaks and you fall through. The kind that requires big, marching steps. The kind of snow that makes moving quickly difficult. You know that type of snow? It’s going to be important later.)
Anyway, I finally get to the tool shed, grab the closest red gas can, and then sprint across the yard back to the four waiting burn barrels. Well, "sprint" in the theoretical sense because, again, the snow. When I arrived at the first 55-gallon metal barrel, I flipped off the lid and poured about a cup of gas onto the bags of garbage, several of which were completely full of wrapping paper. Once I had dispensed "enough" gas (definitely more than my dad used…), I proceeded down the line of barrels, adding the same guesstimated amount of gas to each.
To be safe (ha!), I decided to put the gas can back in the shed before lighting the blaze. This whole process probably took five minutes, which meant the first barrel had been allowed to marinate nicely. I remember the closer I got to it, the stronger the gas smell was, but I somehow missed it as kind of a red flag. Anyway…
Standing next to the first barrel, I pulled out a box of matches and grabbed one to strike. The instant the tip of the match sparked, I was surrounded by orange light and a very loud "whooomp" assaulted my eardrums. Blinking the fire out of my eyes and jumping back, I looked up just in time to see the second barrel catch, followed by a massive fireball and another "whooomp", as a flaming bag of garbage flew 20-25 feet into the air. Barrels three and four followed suit with their own loud "whooomp", belching blazing trash bags into the sky.
For me, it all happened in slow motion, but I know it was actually rapid chaos of flames and raining garbage. Once the flashes and explosions subsided, I realized the magnitude of my situation: all around me, atop the crunchy snow, were piles of burning garbage and clumps of fiery wrapping paper were still raining down. Kind of like fireworks. Instinct - or, more likely, panic - hit me and I started stomping on each pile, scrambling to put out the little fires everywhere.
As I was struggling to run through the crunchy snow to each pile of garbage, I hear my Dad's voice from the back porch: "Geoff, are you ok?"
I mustered a sheepish, "yeah," and he chuckled. He told me to clean up the mess and then he went back in the house.
Years later, he told me he saw the whole thing unfold from his seat on the couch, and when he said it, he did that same chuckle. "I bet you never mixed up the blue diesel can from the red gas can again!"
And I never did.
I'm grateful to my Dad for giving me the space to make my own mistakes and for being there to help me learn from them. Dad, I'll miss you.
I remember when we had pigs, Larry, Curley, Moe, Tigeni and Piglet (This one he called the pig from hell and very fitting as he always thought he was boss even though he was the runt of the litter). One afternoon when JJ came home he saw a bunch of dark brown pigs running around the yard and thought to himself, Hey whose pigs are these. All the rest of the family were gone to school or town. He got out of the pickup and the pigs came running up to him at which point he looked into their eyes and realized they were our pigs. He looked around so he was in eye sight of the pigpen and saw the gate open. He realized they were our pigs that had escaped the pen. The pigs had gotten out and rolled in the mud from the runoff ditch we had on the property.
I met Elder Johnson at one of our senior dinners at the Mission home of President and Sister Holmoe. We sat down together and talked and we immediately connected. As I met him shortly thereafter, he asked if I could serve with him two days a week and I informed him that I was pretty busy and could do two days a month. I have had a couple dozen interview interviews with people seeking Employment since then and I’ve had some very good visit with Elder and sister JOHNSON. I have been blessed to have morning devotionals with them on several occasions where we would discuss gospel principles, Singh, church, hymns, and pray together. I was moved when I saw that as soon as we bow our heads to pray that Elder and sister JOHNSON would always hold hands. I so appreciate both of them and feel honored that I have joined a very small part of their lives and want to be sure to state that they have impacted my life beyond Measure. I love them both and will never forget them.
