Obituary of Donald Johnson

Donald Thomas Johnson February 18, 1941 – December 5, 2019 On Thursday, December 5, 2019, at age 78, Donald Thomas Johnson passed away quietly, no longer facing the constant anxiety and bewilderment of Alzheimer’s disease. Don journeyed through his entire life being a giving and thoughtful man; dependable, generous, and always available with a helping hand. Not even the Alzheimer’s could eat away at what he was in his heart. The great Johnson family was the focus of Don’s life. Don had a wife, three sons, eight grandkids, four siblings, six nieces, five nephews, and fifteen in-laws. His parents and older sister are deceased, but that is a lot of family for Don to stay focused on, but he did it every day. This may make him sound “too good to be true”. No one claims he was always angelic or perfect. But he was a man as close to being “too good to be true” as I ever met. Don’s parents were BH and Willa B (Raines) Johnson. BH worked in the power plant at the Caddo River Lumber Company in Rosboro, Arkansas. Willa B cared for their home, the big garden, and the first two children, Emily B and JC. In 1939 the company sold their timber, broke down the mill, packed up the equipment and shipped it to Springfield, Oregon, where a new Rosboro Lumber mill was going to be constructed from the ground up. Employees who chose to move north with the mill began building the mill and their own homes, garages, and sheds so all the families could get settled in before the mill opened in June of 1940. The Johnsons were one of those Rosboro families. Less than a year later, on February18, 1941, Donald Thomas was born at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Oregon. He was the third of what would eventually be five Johnson children; Emily was followed by brothers JC, Don, Lee Roy then Larry. They were all proud of growing up in that tightknit community of children from Arkansas. They all formed friendships that continue today. The boys were always outside playing, usually with a ball of some kind. Their Mom enjoyed taking the kids to watch the mill workers play baseball, so of course her kids learned to play baseball. They’d hand mow baselines out in the hay field behind their house in Springfield, and every summer that became the neighborhood ballpark. They hooked a basketball hoop onto a power pole off the side of the gravel road in front of their house so they could play games and shoot baskets. They hid behind hedges and had rock fights with the neighbor girls, just for fun. The kids made sure they didn’t tattle or complain about each other; one would get in trouble and they’d be short a player in the game. All the boys slept upstairs in the attic with no heat in winter and hot as blazes in the summer. But they had a small window at the back that led to the roof that led to the oil barrel that led to the ground. They used it a lot, especially summers. They didn’t have much money in those early years, like most everyone in Springfield. But they didn’t know any different. They had great fun, made hilarious memories, and did it all with what they could find and make. Don began first grade at the old Maple Elementary School, now the Rosboro Lumber Mill Offices. When the brand new Maple Elementary opened mid-year, all the little kids in Don’s class gathered their books and supplies, lined up together and marched 14 blocks to their new classroom in their new school. He then went to Springfield Junior High and Springfield High School. Don was a letterman and played football, basketball, and was a pitcher for the baseball team. He was selected as a Winter Party Prince, elected Boys Alliance president and class president for two years. He graduated from SHS in 1959. After working a year at Rosboro to earn money for college, Don bought a 1931 Plymouth and drove it to Southern Oregon College so he’d have wheels and he and his buddies could use it for a hunting rig. They’d drive up in the foothills and shoot pheasant and coyotes from out the car windows, then throw the bodies in the back of this old car he prized enough to keep all these years. (It is parked in his garage right now). Don studied education, played baseball and made all-conference his senior year. But, most importantly Don graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. He was part of an important trend in teaching young kids, the need to integrate grade schools with the influence of more male teachers. 1965 was a time when Don’s job choices were wide open since very few men (particularly tall, cute, humble, young, athletic men) chose to teach in the grade schools. It was Don’s calling. He was a strong educator with a gift for reaching kids and earning their admiration because he honestly liked them and respected them as individuals. In 1962 Don married Penny Davis. After he graduated from S.O.C., they moved back to Springfield. Don’s first teaching position, was at Walterville Elementary from 1965-1970. During that time all three of his sons were born: Benji, Shanne, and Jeremi. He earned his Masters degree in Education at UO in 1970, and he was offered a teaching position in the small town of Halfway in northeastern Oregon, where he taught from 1970-1972. Perfect country for a man who loves to hunt, fish and hike with his three little boys. He and Penny divorced in 1972. Don returned to the Springfield School District in 1972 and spent twenty-four years teaching at Douglas Gardens, Thurston Elementary, and Moffitt in the third through sixth grades, but primarily fifth grade. He really cared about kids learning and he cared about each student. He was a respected professional educator and a fun, easy to partner with co-worker. Each morning Don insisted on going to school wearing a dress shirt and tie. When he arrived the staff and students had to check out what classy combination he would be wearing that day. He brought his love of reading, history, the outdoors, and all of nature into the classroom. In 1996, after 31 years teaching, he retired. While teaching at Douglas Gardens he met Ruth Freaner, a second grade teacher. They married on September 1,1973. Together they created a lovely home and charming, pristine garden filled with over 140 of Don’s beautifully kept rose bushes. He bought them for Ruth because she loved roses and every few years he would have to rearrange and change the garden design to fit in more and more roses. Strolling through it was a visual wonder. He and Ruth took drives together, went antiquing, raised the boys, encouraged family and friends to drop in, and hosted a multitude of memorable celebrations for friends, nieces, nephews, and everyone in the family. Ruth cooked, baked and decorated. Don did the yard work, laundry, vacuuming and dishes. They found a way to share a life that left them both feel treasured by the other. A gracious, generous pair, theirs was always an open, warm welcoming place to visit, a place filled with many memories for everyone in the family, and so many friends. Don’s love of hiking, hunting and fishing was shared as a boy and young man with his Dad and brothers then with his sons. Family members and friends elk hunted every fall for years, over in eastern Oregon by Ukiah. Driving around Don looked for interesting, beautiful, unique and unusual places then want to share them people. Every adventure had a story. Family hunting stories, like the time Don was forced to gut a six point elk with the lid of a sardine can might start a marathon of storytelling memories that could last for hours. At times Don would go off by himself to central or eastern Oregon camping and exploring the geology of remote locations. He was fascinated with the crafting and uniqueness of arrowheads. The quiet solitude and clear night sky at Christmas Valley was one of Don’s favorite place to hike, to look for deer, antelope, and arrowheads. He and Ruth loved to take off in the car, scouting out antique shops where old tools, utilitarian items, and usable unknowns captivated Don and tied into his passion for history and how people lived back then. He was an avid reader. For years, Don and his brother, Lee Roy, have traded back and forth books about the Holocaust, WWII, History of Native Americans, Oregon, and the Old West. Whenever he came upon a book display, he’d need to stop and look for books about local geography and history. In the late 90’s Don and Ruth “adopted” two foreign students attending the UO: Alina Wygonowska from Poland and Andrea Petrovic from Croatia. They became like family. Don and Ruth travelled to Europe, met the girls’ families, and toured Poland, Germany, and Italy. Other travels included taking a cruise to Hawaii and through the Panama Canal, another trip to Hawaii and visiting the Washington D.C. area. The dream of having the old ’31 Plymouth restored finally happened in 2012. It took several years, a lot of work and research, and all of it, color, fabrics, accessories, etc., is as near to original as is possible. The Plymouth is a beautiful car, used for rides in the country, entering into car shows and winning ribbons. It is pampered as much as it is enjoyed. Don was generous. He gave to many people and organizations in secrecy and in unexpected ways. Don wanted no credit or attention. He saw a need and found a way to give. It may be to a homeless family, a lonely diner, or a conscientious underpaid worker. Few knew, and he wanted it to stay that way. It is part of what made Don a special man. He was accepting and nonjudgmental and treated everyone with kindness and respect. Don put others first. In the very midst of the Alzheimer’s and his move into Farmington Square Memory Care, Don was, at his core, the guy he’d always been. He cleaned, cared, and served. The traits he had thirty years ago he still had: * Don would pull out his hanky or a tissue and polish doorknobs and window glass while taking his many walks up and down the hallways. Just doing chores and cleaning like always. * Don would stop and pick up a rock when out for a walk, and hand it to you to look at. Then he’d take it back and put it in his pocket. Just gathering bits of nature for his collections. Some days there would be 15-20 rocks in his pocket with the 15-20 Kleenex he’d have handy when he needed to do some cleaning. * Don called the other residents “his kids” and gave them directions on what to do… how to do it…and what to do next. Just being the teacher he was, taking charge of his students. * Don was often found moving the wheelchair residents away from that noisy, irritating TV or covering them with a blanket because they were probably getting cold. * Don always had chocolate chip cookies Ruth made so he could have something to share with everyone. Just being the gracious host. * Don would invite you to walk with him as soon as you entered the door at Farmington. You may put on 2-3 miles before you left. He also encouraged the residents to walk with him because it was good for them. The caretaker wanted them healthy and not sitting around getting bored. Uncle Don was rock solid reliable and calming even in the chaotic rowdiness of family gatherings. Here is what the kids knew about him: * He believed Pepsi and Snickers were a primary food group * He was neat and tidy and never got dirty * He would paint anything for you…living rooms, chicken coops, 25 ft. fireplaces, window trim, Christmas boxes, or whatever * He loved sweets * He was a spiffy dresser * He collected a lot of neat stuff * He listened and always had time for you For all the cousins, the Uncle Don they always knew was still there: Byron, Scot, Brenda, Carla, Aaron, Susan, Pam, Benji, Shanne, Jeremi, Jennifer, Heather, Mark, Scott Don, the husband, is survived by his wife: Ruth Freaner Johnson. He was always on the watch for Ruth and his face radiated light when she walked into the room. His eyes followed her. She was his anchor. He was her Prince Charming. Don, the Dad, is survived by his sons: Benji Johnson, Jeremi Johnson and wife Julie, Shanne Johnson. Don, the Grandpa, is survived by his grandchildren: He taught the Grandkids what simple unconditional love and acceptance looked like because he lived it every day and gave it to them openly: Dylan, Nick, Lena, Tyler, Kendrick, Rachel, Jessica, Lily. Don, the brother, is survived by his siblings: JC Johnson, Lee Roy Johnson and wife Glenna, Larry Johnson and wife Candy. Deceased: Emily Johnson Buss - Don’s only sister and oldest sibling Bob Buss – Don’s brother-in-law, Emily’s husband BH Johnson - Don’s Father, passed away in 1973 Willa B Johnson – Mother, passed away in 1987 Donations may be made to: Cascade Raptor Center 32275 Fox Hollow Rd. Eugene, OR 97405 Alzheimer’s Association