EVERETT JOHN "JOHNNY" JOHNSON
July 22, 1925 ~ June 15, 2015
"Johnny will be greatly missed by his family,
close friends, and golf buddies."
Everett Johnson passed away on Sunday, June 15th, 2015 at his home in Fairway Village, Vancouver just a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday. He was born on July 22, 1925 together with his beloved twin sister, Lillian, at The Dalles, WA. His parents, Cornelia and Henry Johnson, immigrated from Holland in 1912 and Henry worked driving a six-horse stage wagon between Glenwood and White Salmon for a year to pay for their passage to the U.S. Everett lived a charmed early life with four older sisters to spoil him. He enjoyed an adventurous boyhood along the Columbia River between the towns of White Salmon, Lyle, and Bingen.
In 1943, Everett enlisted as a seaman in the Coast Guard, then transferred to the Merchant Marines and spent two war years in the Pacific.
After his discharge, Johnny married his Bingen neighbor and sweetheart, Marjorie Osborne. They settled in north Portland where they started their family and later moved near Gresham.
Throughout his career, Johnny and Marj experienced many boom and bust periods in the lumber business. His most successful business was Gorge Lumber Company which operated in Cascade Locks and in Skamania county. At different times, he also ran lumber mills in Vancouver, WA, Boise, ID, and Redding, CA.
Johnny loved music and dancing, waterskiing, and golf. But his proudest accomplishment was obtaining his instrument rated pilots license. He loved flying and took family and friends on trips in his Beechcraft Baron all over the West coast in Canada and the U.S.
Later in life, Marj and Johnny traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and for many years, they enjoyed winter months on Kauai, HI. After settling at their home in Fairway Village, Johnny golfed nearly every weekday morning at 7:30 a.m. until the day of his death.
Everett is survived by his wife of 69 years, Marjorie; son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Josie Johnson; daughter and son-in-law, Jana and Lynn Wilkins: grandchildren, Bishop, Tayler, and Qiang; great-grandson, Alan; and his fearsome little dog, Benji. Also, Everett is survived by his best and dearest friend since the age of four from Lyle, Washington, Raymond Park.
A memorial for family and friends will be held at the Fairway Village Clubhouse on July 26th at 4:00p.m.
Please sign his guest book at: www.columbian.com/obits.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2 Entries
Johnny was one of our favorite members of the Fairway Village Men's Golf Club.
Jerry Burden
July 5, 2015
I have fond memories of hikes with you and Marge, dancing with you at parties at Fairway Village, helping you with computer issues and our many breakfasts and lunches together. You were a great friend. I miss you.
Shirley McKechnie
July 5, 2015
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