Walter Gerald "Walt" Johnson,
SKANDIA, MICHIGAN - Walter Gerald ‘Walt” Johnson of Skandia, Michigan and more recently a resident at Oakwood Village, Cox St. Marquette, passed away Tuesday, April 3, 2012, at his home while in the care of family, friends, and U.P. Home Health and Hospice. Walt was born January 1, 1936 in Marquette to the late John Lowell Maynard “Lowell” Johnson and Helmi (Italuomaa) Johnson. He attended the Pioneer school until the age of 13 when he quit to pursue a career in saw milling which spanned most of his adult life starting first at the Ingalls Lumber Co. in Skandia then moving on to the Ahonen Lumber Co. in Marquette where he eventually earned the title of millwright and foreman. In 1972 he purchased and ran his own sawmill in Dukes known as Johnson’s Sawmill which he operated into the mid 1980’s. He was also a mechanic at the Jilbert Dairy facility in West Branch Township for several years while living on his much loved family farm raising as he used to say “hay, hell, and kids”. His many loves included family, friends, fresh foods, laughter, crosswords, solitaire, reading, Tigers baseball, and Packers football. Walt had a quick wit an even quicker mind, and was known for the telling of funny jokes, singing from memory odd, old, and humorous songs, and a giving heart. He is survived by his former wife Beverly Joan (Heard) Johnson of Skandia, 5 children: Cheryl (Jim) Vanderheiden of Rochester, MN., William (Sarah) Johnson of Marquette, Edward (Valerie) Johnson of Indonesia, Raymond (Lisa) Johnson of Skandia, Charlotte (John) Pfeiffer of San Francisco, CA , 18 grandchildren: Eric (Armanda) Vanderheiden, Jason (Mandy) Vanderheiden, Steven (Lindsay) Vanderheiden, Ryan Vanderheiden, Matthew (Whitney) Johnson, Michael Johnson, Daniel (Colleen) Johnson, Sarah Johnson and her friend Tyler Gloe, Isaac Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson, Isaiah Johnson, Josiah Johnson, Marissa Johnson, Moriah Johnson, Naomi (Terry) Doyen, Brady Johnson, Alli Johnson, and 6 great-grandchildren: Jonathan, Sophia, Gavin, Jackson, Cecilia, and Aubree. Sisters Violet Hayes of Loyal, WI, Barbara (Frank) Ward of Skandia, and brother Myron (Denise) Johnson of Skandia, along with several nieces and nephews, special friend Mary Patterson of Harvey, and an aunt Winifred Johnson of Marquette. Preceding him in death were his parents Lowell and Helmi Johnson, infant grandchildren Jonathon and Benjamin Johnson and niece Linda (Ward) Halvorsen. A celebration of Walt’s life will be held at the Skandia Township Hall, 224 Kreiger Drive, Skandia, on Friday, April 6, from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Memorials may be directed to the Care Clinic, 1213 N. Third Street, Marquette, Michigan 49855. The Swanson-Lundquist Funeral Home is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at www.swansonlundquistfuneralhome.com