March 30, 1937 – Dec. 23, 2019
Larry L. Johnson, 82, a frequent resident of Sweet Home, died peacefully on Dec. 23, 2019 with his family by his side after a five-year battle with dementia.
He was born March 30, 1937 in Minot, N.D., to Ruby and Lorring Johnson. They moved in 1945 to Sweet Home, where he grew up.
Mr. Johnson entered the Air Force in 1955. While on leave he met the love of his life, Joan Brown, at the A&W in Sweet Home. They married Dec.14, 1963 at the Sweet Home United Methodist Church. They traveled together throughout Europe and the United States while he was in the military.
The Johnsons moved back to Sweet Home in 1979 after he retired from the Air Force, after 22 years. This is where they raised their daughters, Christl and Michele.
Mr. Johnson worked for White’s Electronics for a couple years before going into business for himself, making T-shirts. In 1988 the Johnsons moved to Idaho, here he worked as a Civil Service employee for the Air Force and the SWICA, and where they managed low-income apartments.
In 1995 the Johnsons bought a motorhome and traveled for 15 years to more than 40 states. El Centro, Calif. and Corpus Christi, Texas were their two favorite places to go in the winters. In the summer they would stop in southwestern Idaho, where they would spend time with their kids and grandkids.
Mr. Johnson loved to fish, camp, spend time with family, drink beer, tell stories, and tell jokes. He never met a person he couldn’t pick on.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his daughters, Christl and son-in-law Dennis Weaver of Bend, and Michele and son-in-law Robert Kester of Meridian, Idaho; sister Linda Jones of Sweet Home; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan Johnson.
A ceremony with full military honors will be held at 3 p.m. on April 3 at the Boise, Idaho Veterans Cemetery, followed by a reception at his daughter Michele’s home (address will be provided upon RSVP).
A celebration of life will also be held at noon on May 2 at the VFW Hall in Sweet Home.
Please RSVP to Michele Kester at (208) 409-0084 or Christl Weaver (541) 598-6500 for both ceremonies.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s/Dementia Foundation at ALZDN.org.