Mr. Richard William Garth Johnson

Garth passed away peacefully at his home on July 24, 2024. He was born in Humboldt, Saskatchewan and moved to Saskatoon at an early age where he attended King George School and City Park Collegiate. As a teenager, Garth played Midget hockey and intercollegiate football. Upon graduation, he started his 35 year career with SaskTel. He became involved in the Scouting movement in his teens, achieved the award of Queen Scout, had the opportunity to meet Queen Elizabeth II, and was a volunteer Scout leader for several years.

In 1967, Garth married Olga Bochar. Soon after, they began Garth’s dream project of building a cabin at Wakaw Lake which became their special haven for their many years spent together. Breaks from building included canoeing, sailing, curling, skiing, and snowmobiling. Garth also cherished the times he spent at the Hewko family farm helping with the grain harvest in the fall and partaking in duck and goose hunting.

Garth was well known for his adventurous spirit: willing and ready to try something because “how do you know you don’t like it if you haven’t tried it”. Following his retirement, he became an RV owner and travelled to various places in the USA and Mexico, returning with many amazing, sometimes long, stories to share with friends and relatives. Garth also experienced adventures abroad: scuba diving in the Caribbean, exploring the views of Machu Picchu, marvelling at the Terra Cotta Warriors in China, and searching for lost gold off the coastline of Chile. One of his favorite trips was visiting his dad’s birthplace in Iceland and swimming in the Blue Lagoon. Garth and Olga spent 20 years as Snowbirds in Mesa, Arizona where he enjoyed being away from the prairie winters.

Garth was predeceased by his father Thorvardur (Tommy, Dottie) Johnson, his mother Iola Cameron, step-father Bruce Cameron, dear Uncle Orly Felton, Uncle Edgar and Aunt Mabel Felton-Atkinson, brothers-in-law Guy Lipsey and Slavie Hewko, special niece Shirley Parkinson, and cousins Lynn Williams and Scott Felton. He is survived by his wife Olga of 56 years, sisters-in-law Naden Hewko and Helen Lipsey, cousins Gail Hartigan, Gary (Jacquie) Felton, Norma (Glenn) Slattery, and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

Deep gratitude and thanks to Dr. N. Helms and the nurses at Client/Patient Access Services for their caring support and exceptional care. Donations in Garth’s memory may be made to Diabetes Canada or a charity of your choice. Donate online at crm2.diabetes.ca (Select “Dedicate this donation to”, enter Garth Johnson – Saskatchewan) or mail a cheque to Diabetes Canada, 1300-522-University Avenue, Toronto, Ont. M5G 2R5.

A Celebration of Garth’s Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday October 9, 2024 at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 63 (606 Spadina Crescent West, Saskatoon).

Arrangements entrusted to Kole Roth.