Donavon Wallace Johnson

September 15, 1933 - July 8, 2020

Donavon Wallace Johnson was born on September 15, 1933 to Wallace Richard Johnson and Amanda Amelia (Gylsen) Johnson in Holmes City, Minnesota on a small farm located between Lake Blackwell and Lake Grant.

Don and his future wife, Carol, met as small children attending the same church and two-room schoolhouse and later graduated in the same high school class of 1952. Don’s stated ambition was to “join the Navy and see the world.” He did just that, enlisted in the United States Navy and served from February 10, 1953 until he was honorably discharged at the rank of second class petty officer on February 8, 1957. While on active duty, he was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where he flew as part of the cockpit crew aboard the Lockheed Super Constellation. He recalled many adventures as he traveled all around the world. Don was very proud of his service to our country.

After separating from the Navy, Don returned to Minnesota and on June 28, 1958, he celebrated the happiest day of his life by marrying Carol Marie Swanson. Together they raised three children, Mark (Kao), Dana Wise (Matthew) and Leanne Cook (Todd).

Don was hired by The Boeing Company in 1959 and the family moved from Minnesota to western Washington. Throughout Don’s Boeing career the family also relocated to Kansas, Missouri, and Texas before finally returning to the Pacific Northwest. Don left Boeing in 1970 and for the next year he worked for Lockheed in the Seattle shipyard before he was hired in early 1971 by the United States Navy as a civil servant working at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport, WA until his retirement in mid-1993. Throughout this time, Don served in the United States Naval Reserves, retiring at the rank of chief petty officer.

After Don retired from civil service, he served his Bethany Lutheran Church family by maintaining the church facilities. He and Carol were faithful and beloved members of Bethany; this extended family has surrounded them with love for nearly fifty years.

In addition to his wife and children, Don leaves behind his brother, Dale Johnson, seven grandchildren: Robert, Brian, Andrew, Reece, Brendan, Jessica, Emily, one great-grandson Ellis (with a great-granddaughter on the way) and numerous nieces and nephews

Don lived a fine and loving, humble, selfless and devoted life. On July 8, 2020, with his family by his side, he peacefully “slipped the surly bonds of earth ...and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings....and touched the face of God.” His sense of humor, smile and shining bright blue eyes will never be forgotten, forever missed.

A funeral service will be held at 5:00pm on Saturday, July 18, 2020, at Bethany Lutheran Church, Bainbridge Island, Washington.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Bethany Lutheran Memorial Fund.