Harry Allen Johnson, 83, of Tarpon Springs, FL, passed away at his home on Thursday, May 1, 2014. He was born in Chico, CA, and moved to Florida in 2006.
Harry moved to the Imperial Valley, CA, at a young age with his family. Harry attended elementary school in Heber, California and graduated from Central Union High School in El Centro, California. Harry always liked to take things apart as a kid and put them back together. He was a gifted mechanic. He loved to work on cars, change the design and race them. Harry was creative and could modify things so they would work. It has been said that Harry could build a car using whatever spare parts he had in his garage.
Harry enlisted and was a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He served in the Army, 1st Cavalry in Korea and Japan for three years. Although he did not like conflict, Harry was very proud to be an American and to serve his country.
Harry lived in the Imperial Valley for about 70 years. He was a business owner, a school teacher, developed the auto mechanics program at Imperial Valley College and retired as a school teacher. Harry got his teaching certificate at Imperial Valley College. He attended as a student and wrote curriculum at San Diego State and USC. Harry was involved with the Lyon’s Club, the Kiwanis and Toast Masters in the Imperial Valley.
He was committed to helping raise funds, work on projects and improve situations for single women and children in need. It would not be unusual for Harry to personally help people whose cars were not working but could not afford to fix them. It would not be unusual for Harry to help people who needed financial support to get their kids through college. Harry was always helping others in a quiet sort of way.
Harry moved to Florida to live with his son Jim and his family who would dedicate themselves to making his ‘retirement dreams’ a reality for the remainder of his life. Harry was very proud of his children who blessed him abundantly with grandchildren & great grandchildren. Harry spent the last 8 years ‘retired’ in Tarpon Springs, Florida. He was able to travel and visit many places he had hoped to when retired and visited family and had several ‘old friend’ reunions. Harry had a lot of great family time with his son’s family. If Harry was not on a trip he was planning the next one.
Harry became an active member of his son’s family and really loved to be involved in all the family events with his son Jim, his devoted daughter-in-law Cathie, his loving granddaughters, Alannah and Maya and his new great-granddaughter, PaisleeAnn. He passed away in their home surrounded by those who loved him so. He will be very missed and lovingly remembered.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Walton Johnson and Lucille Bodily Allen Johnson and his brother, Donald. He is survived by his son, Jim (Cathie); daughter, Lura Ann Anderson (Duane); sisters Dorothy Etter and Carolyn House; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled for 5pm on May 17, 2014, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints located at 3303 Belcher Road, Dunedin, FL.
